Tsubasa
by Shadow Songstress
Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. R&R AU Levi/Eren
1. Night Encounter

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me. **

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M **

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Night Encounter**

_In a time of turmoil and strife where corrupted officials neglect the citizens of Japan, revolts and talks of assassination were frequent on the streets. Commoners struggled daily to earn enough money to feed their families. Children went hungry, sickness and disease ran rampant, security was poor, and many lives were lost. Out of this chaos rose a masked vigilante by the name of Tsubasa. Stealing from the rich and corrupted officials to give to the poor, many saw him as their hope. Their light. Their savior. They gave him the name Tsubasa due to his incredible skills of leaping and fighting, like he had a pair of wings on his back, and that was the symbol he left behind whenever a heist was successful. A pair of wings, white and blue, crossed over one another. _

_To the poor Tsubasa represented their freedom. _

_To the corrupted Tsubasa was their worst nightmare._

_Many officials have attempted to put an end to this mysterious vigilante but none have been successful. Therefore they had no choice but to hide whatever remaining valuables they had, and pray that they wouldn't be the next target. _

_Now Tsubasa prepares to strike again on this very night, this time in the heart of Kyoto, inside the royal palace itself._

* * *

"Eren are you sure about this? It's the palace we're talking about! There will be guards everywhere. You can't just waltz in there and expect to escape unscathed," Mikasa said incredulously, eyeing the map spread out on the wooden table.

Her brother whirled around to stab a small throwing knife right at the center of the palace. Releasing the handle of the weapon with a slow sigh, Eren gave a nod of his head. "There's nowhere I can't go," he said to her, strapping on twin katanas which rested across his back.

Mikasa shook her head but stood up nonetheless, curling her fingers around a metal mask which she handed to her brother. She watched worriedly as he tied that around his face, obscuring all his features save for his eyes, jade irises that stared at her through the eye-holes. The dark-haired woman did some last minute adjustments to the various clothing and guards her brother wore. Black fingerless gloves, metal shin and arm guards to protect his hands and legs, black boots that stopped at his knees, a dark mask that covered the mass of raven locks, and the black robe she made for him completed the outfit. The blackness of the outfit stood out in stark comparison to the colorful surroundings of the room they were in.

"Be careful out there Eren. Every time you do this, I end up not sleeping for the night until you come home."

He gave her a warm embrace. "Don't worry Mikasa. You know I won't get caught."

"Still...promise me you'll be safe," she muttered against his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist to return the hug.

"Tsubasa will strike again on this night," stated Eren, pulling on the mask to adjust it.

Then he slipped out a trap door.

* * *

Cool night air breezed through Eren's black clothing as he stealthily made his way towards the imperial palace, situated right in the heart of Kyoto. Thankfully he didn't live far and the distance was rather close, enabling him to sneak in through the roof of various buildings. Crouching his knees and applying pressure to the balls of his feet, Eren mentally calculated the amount of force required to make it across soundlessly. As soon as he was sure with the distance, he broke out into a sprint, the soles of his shoes flying across the tiled roof of the house he was atop. Pushing off with his right leg at the edge of the roof, Eren hurled through the air, landing quietly on the next house.

Getting into a better position, he craned his neck over the edge and looked.

Guards patrolled the closed gate leading into the palace.

Reaching into the small pouch attached to the back of his black sash, he rummaged around and withdrew a small crossbow-like device attached to a length of string. Mounting said device onto the back of his left arm, Eren raised the limb, took aim, and released the trigger. A small but deadly sharp arrow shot forth from the device, embedding itself deep into the stone wall, drawing the length of string along, creating a rope for him to crawl on.

Once he was sure the string and arrow would hold his weight, the ravenette began meticulously climbing the rope, hanging upside down using his legs and arms for support. Pausing halfway in the middle to hover above the guards, Eren strained his ear muscles, hoping to pick up on the conversation.

"Say did you hear Tsubasa plans on stealing the jade statue of Kannon tonight?" the first guard said, nudging his partner in the ribs.

"The statue that belongs to the Emperor and Empress? It's heavily guarded. There's no way Tsubasa will be able to get through our defenses this evening. _Heichou _Levi has a rather lovely surprise for him," the second guard answered.

The first guard whacked his friend on the head. "_Baka!_ It's _Ouji_! He's only our _heichou _when we're out on the battlefield!"

"I forget."

Eren continued moving forward along the rope until he made it over the high wall surrounding the palace. Extending a hand down towards the arrow in the stone, he gave a sharp tug, freeing it from within and tucked it back inside the crossbow. It will come in handy later should he have to scale another building. Pocketing the device back into the pouch, he stood up and observed the palace from where he stood.

A large courtyard was directly in front of Eren as he carefully scanned the area. There were guards running about, some stationed at various buildings, the others were talking quietly to each other while setting up some sort of trap. Even from his position on the wall he could tell they were nervous. The tension in the air was rather thick. Jade eyes flicked to the left. There were at least three smaller buildings blocking his path to the palace itself.

He'll have to get through those first.

Breaking out into another sprint along the wall, Eren pushed off with both feet this time, flying through the air to land quietly on the first building. And this was the reason why the common people call him Tsubasa. His agility and speed gave the impression of him flying through the air. It was thanks to the training he underwent with a well-known master when he was little. The only other person who could possibly hold her own against him was Mikasa.

Repeating his actions two more times for the last strip of the goal, the ravenette relied on his crossbow device once more, shooting out the length of rope, enabling him to climb across and land atop the palace. Now all he needed was to find the room where the Kannon statue was hidden. Recalling the map that was back at the house he shared with Mikasa, the ravenette slowly made his way towards one of the rooms inside the palace.

* * *

Petra patrolled the perimeter of the building where the statue was placed in. All her senses were on high alert since this was a very important night. A few days ago someone tipped off the imperial palace about the next heist from the notorious Tsubasa. When she heard it was none other than the jade statue of Kannon, she immediately made preparations to ensure it would not be stolen no matter what. Guards bowed to her as she passed by, and she acknowledged them with a nod of her head.

"_Ouji_! What are you doing out here? It's dangerous. Please return to your room," she said when she spotted Levi walking towards her.

Levi was the Crown Prince of Japan, the only son of the current ruling Emperor and Empress. Despite being royalty the man never once flaunted his status. Instead he joined the imperial forces and quickly rose to the rank of Lance Corporal at the ripe age of 16. He was a brilliant strategist, gifted and well-versed in the art of war, and his prowess was legendary. Those who have fought alongside him on the battlefield can bear witness to his talents, claiming he had the strength of an entire brigade. Needless to say those in the imperial forces valued their prince, for he was their strongest and most powerful soldier.

"How are preparations coming along?" he inquired, icy blue eyes ever alert.

"We've set several traps in case Tsubasa decides to come and steal the statue. So far things have been quiet, some are saying there is a chance that he won't show at all," Petra replied, keeping a hand on the hilt of her katana.

"Keep your guard up."

She bowed. "You should return to your room."

His piercing gaze skewered her. "Are you saying I'll be in danger by staying out here? Do not forget who you are talking to Petra," his tone was low, yet commanded authority.

"Of course not. Forgive me _heichou_."

"Where is Erwin?"

"_Danchou _is patrolling the western perimeter," Petra turned when she heard the clinking of armor.

Erwin appeared flanked by Eld and Diechter. The trio stopped and gave a curt salute to Levi. Despite being a rank higher than the man, Erwin made sure he kept his formalities straight within the castle walls. Levi may be the lance corporal on the battlefield, but inside his status was a prince.

"Now we wait," Levi murmured, turning his gaze skyward.

* * *

Eren had no trouble finding the room. It was fairly obvious where it was hidden once he spotted a mass of guards all clustered around one area. If there was one thing he learned from the various thievery acts he performed, was that wherever there was guards, there is treasure. Making a head count of all the current guards stationed in front of a wooden door, Eren reached into his pouch, extracting long, silver needles which glinted in the candlelight. Taking careful aim at the intended targets, he threw them with amazing accuracy, watching as the needles sealed off the guards' acupuncture points. One by one they fell, silently, on top of each other onto the wooden floor. They weren't dead but merely knocked out, and will recover in several hours.

Making good use of this chance to sneak inside the building, he jumped off from the roof and landed gracefully on his feet. Striding over the numerous bodies on the floor -honestly how many were stationed here?- Eren pushed open the doors and entered inside.

The room was rather dark save for light coming from candles spread evenly throughout the room. In the center of the room, resting upon a lotus pedestal, was the jade statue of Kannon. A grin grew behind the mask as Eren approached, hand outstretched to claim his prize. If he could pull this one off, he really will make history when the money gets distributed to the poor.

_Clang_.

A needle flew right between his hand and the statue.

Whirling around with one hand on the hilt of his katana, the ravenette noticed numerous guards were in the room, all surrounding him with spears and swords pointed outward. Slowly the group drew closer and closer, preventing Eren from escaping as he became trapped in the center. Then with lightning fast speed, a sword was drawn and slashed in a circular motion, cutting off the spear tips from the wooden shafts, causing the guards in the front to fall over from the assault.

"We have you surrounded Tsubasa. You won't be getting the statue so easily," one of the guards said, coming forward with a sword in hand.

Jade eyes ping-ponged back and forth between the guards and the exit. Many had already recovered and were back on their feet, advancing towards the ravenette with their captain in front. Pulling out a _tessen _from within the black sash around his waist, Eren flicked it open and held it out, awaiting the next person to make a strike.

Someone lunged.

Spinning in the air with both his sword and iron fan extended, Eren became a whirlwind of destruction, his weapons cutting into skin and causing blood to spurt forth. Landing lithely on his feet after the attack was over, he heard guards groaning in pain, clutching various parts of their body while lying on the floor. The rest of the guards gave chase, prompting him to flee further into the back of the building, running into a pond housing a stone basin. Water licked at his feet, lapping around the edge of his boots, but Eren ignored the sensation. The most important priority was figuring out how to get out of here with the statue. His eyes looked downward and an idea developed in his mind.

Waiting until the guards were mere inches away from where he stood, the ravenette kicked the puddle, causing water droplets to rise into the air. Waving a hand in front with the metal fan, the same water droplets were sent spraying at the candles, snuffing out the flames, plunging the room into darkness. Eren took this chance to escape, running back into the opposite room to grab his prize. Leaving a small handkerchief embroidered with his symbol, a pair of wings, blue and white, crossed over one another, in place of the Kannon statue, Eren slipped out into the night.

* * *

The first person to notice something was amiss was Levi. His ears picked up the softest movement of feet upon the rooftop, and immediately icy blue eyes rolled upward to look in that direction.

Someone was jumping through the air.

"Petra!" he barked.

"Yes!"

"Bow and arrow," demanded the man, holding out his hands.

Petra un-slung her bow from her back, drew an arrow, and placed these items into Levi's hands. Nocking the arrow onto the string and raising the bow towards the roof, Levi aimed carefully, drawing the string as far back as it would go, then released it in one instance. The arrow shot forth with great speed, flying towards the mysterious person. At the last moment something glinted in the night, and Levi heard the patter of broken wood hitting stone.

"It's Tsubasa!" Erwin cried, running over from the room where the statue was kept.

The blonde woman gasped. "That means the statue was stolen!"

"Look out!" another shouted.

The mysterious figure was now hurling through the air right towards Levi. Drawing out the katanas hanging from his sash, Levi jumped into the night and engaged the figure in battle. Sparks splinted from the weapons as steel met steel, neither side giving in to the force. The prince could tell whoever this Tsubasa was, he was an amazing fighter.

"_Oujii_!"

"No. I will deal with him," ordered Levi, making the others stand down.

* * *

'_So this is the crown prince of Japan_?'

Never in his wildest dreams could Eren imagine this. His opponent was the prince? The man stated to have the strength of an entire brigade on the battlefield? The strongest and most powerful soldier of the imperial forces? Kami. Please let him make it out of this alive. Never taking his eyes off the regally dressed man, Eren shifted into a defensive position, gripping the hilt of his katana with both hands.

"So you are the famed Tsubasa I've been hearing of?" the prince said, slowly walking around in a circle.

Eren remained vigilant.

"Let me see if your skills are as good as the rumors say."

The prince lunged.

Ducking to avoid the swinging katana which flew over his covered head, Eren pulled out more needles and threw them, hoping one will hit its mark. The projectiles were blocked easily with the length of the blade, and then thrown right back at him. Quickly whipping out his iron fan and spreading it open, the ravenette exhaled softly when the needles bounced harmlessly off the fan. Knowing he had no time to waste fighting these people, a hand rummaged around in the pouch, drawing out a small circular object. Raising his hand in the air dramatically for effect, Eren threw the smoke bomb at the ground, taking advantage of the smoke billowing out to slip away. However he couldn't get very far because the prince emerged from the smoke, slashing downward at his back.

He cried out as the blade tore through his robe.

Dropping to the ground on one knee while using his sword for support, Eren winced in pain when he felt blood trickling out of the wound. The prince hovered over him, icy blue eyes narrowed into a steely gaze. The tip of the katana was then pointed at his chin, forcing him to look upward at the man. Never in his life had he been cut like this. This prince was on a different level than the others he's fought so far.

"Time to see who is behind that mask," he heard the man say.

Switching his grip on the katana into that of a backward stance, the ravenette slashed upward, catching the prince off guard while managing to cut a deep line on the man's abdomen. Momentarily blinded by the sudden attack, the prince lowered his guard, and Eren fled from the scene, leaping quietly over the short wall before vanishing into the night.

* * *

By the time Eren made it back to the house it was already very dark. Stumbling in through the trap door leading to the room housing his weapons, he fell onto the table, startling a sleeping Mikasa as her eyes shot open.

"Eren? Kami what the hell happened to you?" she gasped upon catching sight of the gash on his back.

He hastily pulled off the mask from his face. "Help me," he grunted.

She got up and bustled about the room to gather various herbs needed to make a poultice. While she did this Eren took out the jade statue, setting it down on the table, then went back to cringing in pain. Mikasa came back with the herbs and a stone grinder, placing these next to her brother. Hurriedly throwing in the dried leaves and grinding them up into a powder, she applied the poultice onto a strip of cloth, then slapped it against Eren's back, causing him to hiss in pain.

"Serves you right for trying a stunt like this," she reprimanded, tying the ends together securely.

"At least I made it back with the statue," Eren retorted, cringing again when she deliberately pulled tighter.

"I hope it was worth all the trouble."

Eren stared at the wall. "That prince...he's no ordinary prince."

"You ran into the prince? How the hell did you manage to make it out of there _alive_?" breathed his sister.

Mikasa also heard tales of the crown prince of Japan, though she didn't imagine her brother would actually run into him.

"Lucky strike."

"In any case let's take it easy for the next few days. I'll sell the statue tomorrow and distribute the money at night. I don't want you aggravating that wound on your back," Mikasa took the statue, examining the quality of the jade.

He took a drink of lukewarm tea. "I love you Mikasa," he mumbled, thankful that his sister helped out in his schemes. Her figure could pass off for his, especially once she dressed in his outfit and mask. While Eren was the one who embarked on the heists to steal valuable items, Mikasa was the one in charge of giving out the money made from selling said items. The common people knew of Tsubasa, but they didn't know there were two versions.

"Get some sleep. We still have to open up tomorrow."

Eren sighed.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_Thoughts? Questions? Comments? _

_Good? Bad? _

_Continue or scrap it? _

_Let me know please! _

_If I get enough reviews I will turn this into a full-fledged story! _

_Shadow Songstress~_

**Kannon: The Japanese name for Kuan Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy and Compassion**

**Tsubasa: Japanese for Wing **

**Tessen: A sharp metal fan used for attacking and defending**


	2. Wings Of Freedom

******So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

******Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

******Pairing: Levi/Eren**

******Rating: M**

******Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

******Reviews are welcome!**

******Constructive criticism as well!**

******Anything else shall be ignored.**

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

** Tsubasa**

** xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

** Wings Of Freedom**

Next morning Eren awoke with a noticeably better back. The poultice Mikasa made for him last night seemed to have worked its magic overnight. Though it still hurt when he flexed his back muscles, as long as he left it along for a few days, it will heal naturally. Sitting up on the bed while rubbing his eyes with both hands, Eren saw a tray of food set out on the table.

"Mikasa?" he called, getting up from the bed.

No answer.

Which meant she was probably out front in the shop already.

Walking barefoot along the tatami mats spread across the floor of their little house, the ravenette headed up to the front, where they had transformed it into a clinic of sorts. Like suspected Mikasa was looking at a patient, whom he recognized to be one of the daughters of the local merchant. What was her name again? Christine? Crystal? No. Christa.

Yes. It was Christa.

"Oh Eren? You're awake?" Mikasa glanced up from paper she was writing on.

"How late is it?" he inquired, rubbing the back of his head.

"It's around the 14th hour."

"Damn. I overslept."

Christa smiled up at him from the chair. "Were you working late last night or something?"

"Yea let's put it that way," Eren answered with a chuckle.

"Did you hear the news Mikasa?" a new voice interjected.

The trio simultaneously shifted their attention to the entrance, where another blonde male stood, doubled over breathing heavily. Clutched in his hand was a notice distributed by the imperial palace, for it bore the seal of the Emperor.

"What news?" Mikasa asked, playing dumb.

"The Statue of Kannon has been stolen last night by Tsubasa!" Armin announced, placing the paper down on the desk for all to see.

"Kami. Seriously? I thought no one could break into the palace," exclaimed Christa, widening her eyes at the kanji.

"Well apparently Tsubasa could."

The siblings exchanged brief looks.

"It serves the palace guards right for being so cocky about the palace being impenetrable," Mikasa said after several moments.

A loud commotion coming from out in the streets drew Eren's attention towards the source. Stepping out of the entrance, he saw several guards harassing a female. They were tugging on her kimono and pulling at the scarf around her head. She had been holding a basket of fruit, which low lay discarded on the dirt road, while trying to fend off the guards with both hands.

"Hey. Leave her alone," Eren called loudly.

The guards stopped their jeering and turned towards him. "Huh? What do you want you runt? Scram before things get ugly for you," one of them said with a sneer.

Eren stood next to the terrified woman. "Leave her alone. She's done nothing to attract your attention," his voice was laced with anger.

"Oi you hear that Ian? This kid thinks he can take us on."

"Let's show him what happens when he gets in our business."

The first guard threw a hand out in a punch but Eren merely side-stepped, watching as the fist passed harmlessly through the air. Gripping his hand underneath the man's wrist, he heaved and sent the guard flying over his head, armor and all, onto the dirt floor.

"_Teme_!" his companion spat, charging forward with his weapon.

Elbowing the guard under the chin just before the spear could graze him, Eren jerked the weapon away, threw it on the ground, then kneed the man in his most vulnerable spot. The man crumpled to the ground and moaned in pain. Eren stood over them with his hands clutched into fists, ignoring the crowd which had gathered behind to watch the spectacle.

"What's going on here?" a familiar voice asked.

Eren froze.

The prince came riding into view atop a majestic black horse. He wore a traditional yukata bearing the crest of his family, with two katanas hanging by the sash around his waist. Eren nearly forgot to bow if Mikasa hadn't nudged him in the ribs, having come out of the house to see how he was doing.

"Heichou! That man provoked us for no reason," the first guard reported.

Steely blue eyes fixed themselves upon the ravenette. "Lift your head," he commanded.

Eren raised his head several inches off the ground.

"Higher."

He raised it higher.

"Is this true? You provoked a member of the imperial army? You know the consequences for doing so don't you commoner?"

"I was merely defending this woman from being harassed by your guards over there. If they call themselves members of the imperial army, then shouldn't you train them better to protect our people? It's hard enough to make a living as it is in times like this, your guards harassing people don't make it any better for the rest of us," Eren replied haughtily.

"You bastard! Watch your tone when speaking to the prince," one of the female guards said, coming forward with a hand on her sword.

"Petra stop."

"But heichou-"

"I said stop."

She went back in line, albeit grudgingly, her eyes glaring daggers at the bowed man on the ground.

"You two, is it true?"

"It's true! I saw it with my own eyes!" one of the bystanders shouted.

"Yes! Eren speaks the truth!" added another.

The whole crowd erupted into shouts of defense on Eren's behalf as they bore witness to the scene. Eren could almost cry tears of joy, knowing the people were behind him all the way.

"Heichou what do we do?"

"Return to the palace and reprimand these two," came the instant reply.

The footsteps of horses drew away from the crowd as the prince retreated back towards the castle. Only when they were gone did Eren dare lift his head up. The moment he did, he found himself being hugged by the same woman he had just defended.

"Thank you so much!" she cried, hugging him.

"You're welcome," he answered with a smile.

* * *

Levi rode in silence during the journey home to the palace. His mind was still processing what he had just seen earlier. A commoner dare speak back to him? And with such a haughty tone as well. Does he not fear the wrath of the royal family?

"Heichou? You're quiet today," observed Petra, pulling her horse up alongside Levi.

"That man...he spoke back to me," he said, running a hand through his horse's mane.

"I should've punished him for doing so."

He waved off her thoughts. "No. He has a point. We're supposed to protect the people of Japan. How will I look like, mother and father look like, if our members aren't acting the way they are expected to? Make sure you harshly punish the two who instigated this."

Petra gave a nod of her head.

"Tch," Levi pressed a hand along the bottom of his abdomen, where the slash from last night was still healing.

"Is the cut bothering you? Should I have Hanji prepare a new poultice for you?" asked a concerned Petra, noticing how Levi was grimacing.

"I've been through worse."

"I still can't believe that Tsubasa managed to cut you when no one else has ever even laid a finger on you."

"His skills are on a different level from those we've fought in the past," noted Levi, recalling the battle from last night.

The blonde woman shifted around on the saddle. "How did he manage to slash you? The smoke got into my eyes and I couldn't see well."

"He switched to a backward stance at the last minute, catching me off guard with a skyward swing."

"Seems like Tsubasa is no ordinary thief after all."

Levi remained silent as he continued riding.

* * *

By late afternoon it appeared everyone around the town had heard about Eren defending the woman from earlier, because his shop was suddenly busier than usual. People swarmed in either to congratulate him or actually ask that he look at their ailments.

Mikasa busied herself by brewing medicine and bringing people wrapped packages of herbs.

Armin stayed behind to help the siblings.

"Armin! Get me some more paper," shouted Mikasa from the front.

"I got it," he replied.

Eren sighed and leaned back against the wooden chair, cringing when the tender spots were touched. The last patient had left for the day and a nice pile of money was mounted on the table. Mikasa made sure all the fire were put out, then slid the door to their clinic closed, signaling they were done for the day. After that she went to sit herself down in one of the chairs.

"Wow. I've never been this tired in my life," she muttered.

"Tell me about it," agreed Eren, taking a sip of tea.

"How did last night go?"

Armin was the only other person aside from Mikasa who knew about Eren being Tsubasa. In front of others he had to play an act, but when they were alone, they were free to talk about whatever they wanted.

"I got away but ran into the prince," mumbled Eren.

"You ran into the prince? Holy Kami Eren! I'm surprised you're still alive," exclaimed Armin.

"Mikasa already said that."

His sister gave a nod of her head.

"Did you sell the statue yet?"

"No. Can you sell it for me and give me the money?" Mikasa disappeared into one of the adjacent rooms, then came back bearing a black pouch.

Taking the pouch from his friend to examine the statue, Armin could tell it would fetch a lot of money from the various merchants overseas. "I'll get it to you by tomorrow."

"Thanks."

"The great Tsubasa will have performed another good deed after this," Armin grinned at Eren.

"Remember why we chose the name and symbol."

Armin replaced the statue back inside the bag. "Of course. It represents freedom. Freedom from this corrupted system and it symbolizes hope."

Eren nodded.

"Tsubasa. Wings of Freedom. Freedom to soar under the skies like birds do."

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_Thanks to all those who reviewed!_

_Next one will be longer!_

_See you all in chapter 3!_

_Shadow Songstress~_


	3. Midnight Duel

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Midnight Duel**

Footsteps echoed in the air as two black-clad figures made their way towards one of the many streets of Kyoto. Eren and Mikasa were dressed in identical outfits, with masks over their faces, and the same type of get-up worn by the former when he was Tsubasa. Tonight they were going to distribute the money obtained from the Kannon statue after Armin helped them sell it to a merchant overseas, one who wouldn't recognize it as an imperial artifact. It fetched a nice sum of money and now the siblings could put it to good use, by giving it to the poor and needy.

"Whoever finishes first will wait by the lake. If you notice that I don't show up in another hour or so, then come find me. I'll do the same for you," Eren said, lifting up his mask to look at his sister.

Mikasa inclined her head. "Stay safe Eren. I'll head over to the southern part of Kyoto. It's farther away from the palace so I won't get caught that easily."

"Then I'll head for the north. If I do get caught, I can hold my own until you come save my ass."

She frowned at him. "This isn't a joking matter."

"Kidding. Now we need to hurry before dawn breaks," Eren pulled his mask back down.

With a nod of their heads, the duo vanished in opposite directions.

* * *

Quietly leaping from roof to roof with his feet not making a single sound against the tiles, Eren found himself within the perimeter of the northern section of Kyoto. Of the four directions, north and south were in the worst shape. The people here pray daily to Genbu, one of the four deities responsible for protecting one of the four directions. Those in the South worshipped Suzaku, the Vermillion Bird. Byakko, the White Tiger, guards over the West. Seiryuu, the Azure Dragon, watches over the East. And Genbu, the Black Tortoise, is the protector of the North. Eren heard rumors that Tsubasa was really Genbu in disguise, descended from his heavenly palace in the guise of a man, to protect their village and help those in need.

Eren felt flattered in a way.

Jumping off one of the roofs to land in street devoid of life this time of the evening, Eren heard someone shouting in the dark and went to investigate. Sticking to the side of the house he was next to, jade eyes peered around the edge of the building to find guards harassing an elderly couple and their granddaughter.

"Please good sirs, we need more time to get the money!" the elderly man begged.

"We've given you all five days already. How long does it take to get us what the government demands?" replied one of the guards nastily, knocking over barrels of fruit.

"Five days isn't enough! We can barely make a living for ourselves at it is! The government's protection fee is just ridiculous!" argued the granddaughter.

One of the guards slapped her across the face, sending the girl sprawling on the dirt floor.

"If you can't pay us the money then perhaps we'll just take your granddaughter for some fun then."

The old man and woman bore identical expressions of horror. "No! You can't do anything to Sakura!"

Their pleas fell upon deaf ears as the two guards knocked the couple aside, then proceeded to assault the girl as she struggled in vain against her captors.

Eren couldn't watch anymore.

Reaching into the pouch around his back, he extracted two needles, took careful aim, then threw them right at the guards.

Two bodies slumped against the floor.

"W-What?" the girl said in shock, eyes brimming with tears.

He came out of hiding from around the building and knelt in front of the terrified girl, extending a hand out towards her helpfully. She grasped his hand and stood up shakily. Her brown eyes roamed around his figure and then finally looked up, a small gasp escaping her lips when she recognized who he was.

"Tsubasa?" she murmured.

He nodded. "Are you alright?" the mask helping to muffle his real voice.

"Y-You saved me?"

"Yes," Eren turned towards the frightened couple. Taking out a small bag full of coins from his sash, Eren pressed it into the old man's hand, gently closing wrinkled fingers around it. "Take this. Use it to help get your home and stall back together. There's more than enough inside for food as well."

"How can we ever thank you Tsubasa?" the man replied gratefully, tears gathering in those aged eyes.

"Live a life worth fighting for," Eren answered.

Then without another glance at the family he disappeared off into the night.

* * *

It seemed that no matter where Eren went that night, there always seemed to be guards harassing a family in one way or another. Naturally like before he would knock out the guards -killing them wouldn't be a good alternative, as it might alert the rest of the imperial forces- and then come out to give money to those who needed it.

Eren's heart broke whenever a child would give him an amazed smile, cling to his leg, and say that when they grew up, they wanted to be just like Tsubasa. A force for good. Fighting the corrupted so their families can have a better life. Seeing all those hopeful faces brought back memories as to why he became Tsubasa in the first place.

His father and mother were both doctors who wandered from place to place, treating the sick and ill free of charge. Eren grew up learning their morals and values, that every life is precious and deserves to live. As a little child he was often surrounded by animals in forests, and he was once even protected by a mother wolf when he became lost in the night. When his parents decided to settle down in the current house which now belonged to him, Eren thought his life wouldn't change and his parents will always be there for him.

All that changed in one night.

He could still recall clearly his mother returning home, covered in blood and with her clothing torn, clutching Mikasa's hand in her own. Eren was naturally frightened by her disheveled appearance, but pulled himself together when his mother told him to take care of Mikasa. Her parents were killed by slavers who wanted to sell her and her mother oversea, due to their exotic appearance. Then he was hidden away in a closet next to a trembling Mikasa. To calm her down and mainly to prevent her from crying out, Eren held her tightly against him as he peered out the little crack.

What he saw would forever scar him.

His mother being brutally raped and then stabbed many times over, her lifeless body falling to the floor, blood pooling around her as a hand fell upon the direction of where they were hidden. Eren remembered the faces of those guards as they laughed and left the house, after defiling his mother and thinking no one was present. Only when they were gone did he dare creep out. Tears poured out of his eyes as he stared at his mother's ravaged body, then his gaze lifted upward and noticed his father's body lying a mere feet away from the entrance, his hand outstretched as if to protect his mother.

Eren never forgot.

Vowing to never rest until those responsible were brought down for their heinous crime, Eren took Mikasa and fled from the scene, living in the mountains for a while until they finally mustered enough courage to return home. By that time the villagers had already buried his mother and father, both out of respect and love for the two doctors who were always so compassionate and loving towards anyone. During their time spent in the mountain, Mikasa grew attached to Eren and never left his side, they were always together. He grew to love her as his actual sister and she the same. Their bond remained strong. Their love for one another unwavering. Wherever Eren went, Mikasa was always right beside him. They were inseparable.

Then a few years later of living in the house and becoming doctors themselves, the two found an unconscious man near the mountains one day when they went to gather herbs. Together they brought the man back to their house, then nursed him back to health. When he was fully recovered from his wounds after several weeks of drifting in and out of consciousness, the man revealed himself to be Hannes, a former captain of the imperial forces who was wanted for a crime he didn't commit. To repay Eren and Mikasa for saving his life, Hannes stayed behind and taught the two their martial arts skills, and instilled in them a sense of justice. After a year's time under his tutelage, the two became amazing fighters, more than capable of handling a brigade of the best imperial soldiers. Once he was sure the two would be fine on their own, Hannes left them in the middle of the night, with a note telling them to become free like the birds that soar over Japan. They never heard from him again after that.

It was then Eren decided to become Tsubasa.

To bring hope to those who were wallowing in despair.

The people of Japan saw him as their _Kibou no Hikari_.

His only wish now was to continuing being Tsubasa, so the people would never lose their hope.

"Tsubasa! Thank you for saving us!" another grateful family cried, bowing to him on their knees.

He waved his hands in front of him. "No. Don't bow to me please! I'm only doing what's right," he said frantically.

"We'll forever be in your debt! But there is something you must help us with," one of the villagers said.

"What is it?"

"Our chief and his family have been imprisoned in the castle! The guards allege that he was conspiring to overthrow the government. They are sentenced to be executed tomorrow morning! Please Tsubasa, you must help us! Save our chief," implored the people.

Eren gave a nod of his head. "I will save them."

"_Arigato_!"

* * *

Running along the rooftops of various houses located inside the village he was just in, Eren ran towards the Kyoto Palace, hoping to rescue the chief and his family before they were to be executed. If there was one thing he hated more than anything, it was the loss of innocent lives. The corrupted daimyos were too busy swimming in their wealth to even pay attention to the happenings of their own country. The Emperor was even worse. He was just a figurehead. The ones who held the real power were the various daimyos and shoguns of Japan. Everyone knew this. Eren snorted at this fact. Ironic how the people of Japan revere the Emperor as a descendant of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, but in reality he was just Emperor in name. He had no real power.

This time Eren snuck in through the back gate instead of going through the whole climbing process. Every minute counted and he didn't have any to waste. Hiding in the shadows as a guard passed by on patrol, he wrapped a hand around the man's neck, twisted, and felt the bone snap. The body of the now deceased guard crumpled to a heap on the floor, allowing Eren to search his body for the keys.

Once locating said keys and pocketing them in his pouch, Eren made his way towards the dungeons, having memorized the map from his first heist at stealing the statue of Kannon. Luckily for him there weren't many guards on patrol, so it was rather simple to just duck and hide in the shadows until the men passed. Coming upon a large wooden door with a lock on it, he stuck the key in, unlocked it, and slipped inside.

The dungeon was dark and damp, smelling a lot like mildew and human waste. Torches were placed strategically throughout the place, mounted on walls in their holders. Carefully Eren made his way down the stairs, keeping his senses on high alert in case someone was coming. Pressing his fingers against the moldy wall to get a feel for his surroundings, he soon came upon the actual cells and immediately spotted the chief and his family, for they were the only ones in the dungeon.

Cries of alarm were heard as Eren approached, and he saw a figure leap up from the ground. "I won't let you take my family from me! If you want me then kill me! Don't hurt my family or children. They have nothing to do with this!" a defiant voice thundered.

"I'm here to help you," Eren replied, stepping into the light to allow them a view of who he was.

Gasps were heard.

"Tsubasa?..." the chief whispered in awe.

Pulling out the keys again from his pouch, jade eyes ping-ponged back and forth between the lock and keys, then Eren promptly stuck one in, nodding in satisfaction when a 'click' was heard. Pulling the lock aside and throwing it on the floor, the wooden door swung open to allow the family to escape.

"Come quickly," he said to them.

"Are you helping us get out of here?" one of the women asked.

"Yes. But we must hurry or else they'll know something is wrong," Eren strained to peer into the darkness.

When the coast was clear Eren led them up the stairs.

* * *

Continuing to lead the family out of the palace before anyone could know what transpired, the ravenette was guiding them out of the dungeon when the sounds of heavy footsteps alarmed him. Then in a blink of an eye, they were surrounded on all sides by guards, all pointing deadly looking spears in their faces. Holding his hands out protectively in front of the chief and his family, Eren felt the group huddle behind him.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Eren knew who it was.

"Heichou," the guards saluted the prince as he emerged from the crowd.

The ravenette remained silent as he kept his eyes trained on the prince.

"First you steal the statue of Kannon, now you dare sneak back in here to free prisoners? You must have a death wish," the prince continued.

Slowly reaching a hand around to rest on the hilt of his katana, jade eyes watched as the guards tightened their formation around him, spears thrust out in defense. Drawing out the deadly blade from its sheathe and holding it in his right hand, Eren twisted it to allow moonlight to reflect off the polished steel, temporarily blinding the guards closest to him.

He struck.

Lightning fast and with amazing accuracy, tips of spear heads clattered loudly onto the ground as the guards were knocked back. Then he began inching his way towards the exit, gently pushing the chief to follow him, while his other hand held out the sword. Once in front of said exit, Eren gave the man a push and they fled out the exit, running into the forest.

"After them!" a guard shouted.

A portion of the guards broke off and gave chase but Eren blocked their way, cutting off their spears and performing a flawless roundhouse kick, knocking them out for good measure.

* * *

Levi narrowed his eyes as he watched the mysterious Tsubasa take out more than half the guards single-handedly. If this kept up then the imperial forces will lose credibility in the eyes of the people. Deciding to take matters into his own hands he drew his katanas from their sheathes, stepping in front of the man with them held out.

Tsubasa mirrored his movement, drawing out another blade from his back.

"So you can use _nitou-ryu_ as well? You must be well versed in the art of battle," observed Levi.

The man didn't answer him.

Steel met steel as the two engaged in battle, neither side willing to give up in their efforts. Levi discovered the man was not only skilled in wielding dual blades, but he was also capable of switching stances instantaneously. Learning from the first encounter where he was slashed, the prince only barely managed to duck as a swing went over his head. Leaping into the air with both blades raised in the air above him, Levi swung downward in a hard strike, hoping to catch the man off guard.

Unfortunately Tsubasa crossed his blades at the last minute to parry his attack, and Levi was thrown back several feet away from where the man stood. Narrowing his eyes at his opponent Levi charged again, this time swinging at an angle from the ground up, knocking one of the swords out of Tsubasa's hand, watching as it skid several feet from where they were. Distracted by the sight of his sword falling from his hand, Levi used this chance to kick the man hard in the chest.

Tsubasa fell to the ground from the attack and Levi advanced, hoping to end the mystery behind the masked man. However Tsubasa pushed himself up and regained his fallen sword.

* * *

Eren didn't have anymore time to waste.

Normally kept for dire circumstances, Eren didn't want to reveal this trick he had up his sleeve, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Pressing the hilt of his blades together, there was a 'click' and the swords connected, forming a dual-blade held together by their middle section. This was a trick Hannes taught him, to help get out of tight situations. Swinging the connected weapons together like a spear, Eren renewed his attack and managed to repel the prince long enough to run out the exit.

To prevent him or the guards from following in case they wanted to pursue him, the ravenette pulled out several smoke bombs and threw them on the ground, only leaving when smoke hid his presence from the prince.

* * *

The chief and his family were waiting for Eren when he emerged from inside the palace.

"Thank you so much for saving us!" he cried gratefully, grasping his hand to give it a squeeze.

Eren re-sheathed his weapons. "Now get out of here. I can't hold them back for long! Also take this with you," he removed the last sack of money from his pouch and handed it to the chief. "Use this money to leave this area and settle somewhere else. Take off your clothes when you come to the river and throw them in there, the guards will think all of you perished in the raging rapids and won't pursue you any further. Leave here and live another life elsewhere."

"I owe you my life for saving my family," the chief said.

"Don't worry about it. I am Tsubasa. I represent your hope and freedom. Now go!" he urged, pointing at the forest behind them.

Only when he was sure they made it safely into the forest did Eren flee from the palace.

* * *

"That's the second time he got away from us!" exclaimed Petra when the smoke cleared.

"Is there any way we can stop him the next time he infiltrates this place?" Eld asked, looking at Levi.

Levi sheathed his weapons. "I will stop him next time. None of you are on his level when it comes to fighting."

"But heichou-"

"Don't argue with me! I don't want any of you risking your lives when I am perfectly capable of defeating Tsubasa," snapped Levi.

The squad backed down and lowered their heads.

"Return to your posts. I will report this to mother and father."

He left the courtyard.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?  
_

_33 reviews for 2 chapters XD hot damn, I love you all!_

_Keep them coming! _

_Reviews make me happy!_

_See you all in chapter 4! _

_Also if you're confused as to how Eren is fighting at the last part, picture Storm Shadow from the GI Joe movie, where he fights Snake Eyes by merging his two blades together to form a lance-like weapon. Yea, that's what Eren is using in this chapter_

_Also Kibou no Hikari translates to Light of Hope in Japanese._

_Don't forget to review!_

_Shadow Songstress~_


	4. Secrets We All Hold

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Secrets We All Hold**

Traversing quietly through the corridors of the palace alone, Levi hurried along in his split-toed socks, feeling the seams underneath his bare feet. Making a right turn around the corner, he came upon guards standing in front of sliding doors. Dismissing them with a wave of a hand, Levi entered and knelt in front of the Emperor and Empress.

"Levi? Is that you?" a feminine voice called.

"Yes," he responded.

Everyone within the palace knew that Levi was the "Prince of Japan" but in reality, he was nothing more than a bodyguard, a _kagemusha__. _Of course no one aside from the Emperor and Empress knew about this. The real prince is currently missing and Levi is still trying to track down his whereabouts with no results so far. Levi's own memories of the prince were hazy. He was brought to the palace and trained to be a bodyguard for the prince, but one night, he overheard a conversation by several daimyos seeking to kill the prince and replace him with one of their own. He ran to the Emperor and reported this immediately. Knowing that his child was no longer safe even within the walls of the imperial palace, the Emperor ordered two of his most trusted advisers to take the boy away from the palace and raise him as a normal child. This broke the Empress's heart but she knew it was for the best, and so reluctantly allowed her precious son to be taken away. Levi was then asked to impersonate the prince, since no one had seen his features yet, and therefore his cover wouldn't be blown so easily. He became a kagemusha, vowing to keep his promise to the Emperor and Empress while searching for his missing prince at the same time.

It's been 20 years since that day.

Still no signs of the missing heir.

"Do you have any whereabouts on my missing son?" she asked, coming out from behind a screen.

Levi shook his head. "I am sorry. I still haven't found anything clues leading to his location yet."

The Empress held back a stifled sob as her husband came into view. Levi also bowed to him, noticing how he was holding his wife gently against him while she wept. "This is a terrible burden we have placed upon you for the past 20 years Levi. Impersonating our son in his place while searching for his whereabouts at the same time, it must be taxing both to the mind and body," he said gently to the loyal man.

"Serving the royal family is my purpose in life. You two gave me a chance to live, and I am forever grateful for that. I swear I will restore the young prince to his rightful place as the real Prince of Japan."

When he was but a little boy of 3 years of age, Levi's parents were murdered in a raid by opposing soldiers, who razed his village in the middle of the night during a heist. He managed to survive because his mother hid him away in a secret cellar of their house, instructed to only come out when daybreak arrived. Upon spotting the decimated remains of his beloved home, Levi wandered the streets of Kyoto, dirty, hungry, and cold. He survived for several days in the woods, but even then his little body was on the verge of giving out.

It was at this time that he met the Emperor on one of his daily hunting trips. Taking pity on the poor child who had been through so much, the Emperor took him in, raising him like a second son, and training him in the ways of war and battle. It was intended that he become the protector of the -then- unborn prince, where he will watch over the heir as he grew up, and if needed, become his kagemusha should his life ever be in danger. Levi accepted the duty and practiced relentlessly every day, perfecting his moves while living up to the vow he gave to his benefactors.

"I'm sorry for placing this burden on you Levi. I know it is not an easy one to bear. However we must ask you to keep up this facade for a while longer, until our real son is found and restored, then you are free to become his bodyguard as promised from the beginning," the Empress said through her tears, smiling down at him.

"I promise I will do whatever it is in my power to find the young master."

"Thank you."

* * *

By the time Eren made it to the lake Mikasa was on the verge of hysterics, muttering to herself and wringing her hands nervously. Once she spotted her brother leaping down from one of the trees, she threw her arms around him and gave the ravenette a tight hug.

"Where the hell have you been Eren? I was getting this close to going to look for you!" she said in anguish.

He returned her hug sheepishly. "I got caught up in something. Sorry Mikasa."

"Kami. Honestly Eren what am I going to do with you?" she shook her head at him.

Eren chuckled. "Continue loving me as your irritating brother?" he suggested.

She whacked him on the head with her katana. "Baka! I'll always love you even if you annoy the hell out of me."

"Did you distribute all the money?"

"Yea. Though I might have exposed myself in front of the guards to save the villagers they were harassing."

Pulling off the mask that concealed his face, Eren tucked it into his pouch and sighed. "Even the South too?..."

"You mean it happened to you as well?" she pulled off the identical mask from around her own face.

"Yup. Kami knows how many villagers I saved this night," he tilted his head skyward to gaze upon the starry sky.

Mikasa was about to start walking when Eren suddenly fell on his knees, both hands clutching his head, eyes squeezed together in pain. Her instincts kicked in and she immediately knelt down, examining her brother physically for any signs of injuries. When none were spotted another thought crossed her mind. His headaches were coming back.

"Eren, is it a headache?"

He only managed the barest of nods.

Rummaging around in her own pouch for a small bottle decorated with images of mountains and lakes, Mikasa pulled out the stopper, then shook a single, tiny pill into the palm of her hand. This she pressed against her brother's mouth, forcing him to take the pill, which the ravenette did by crunching down on the medicine.

A few minutes later his body relaxed and his eyes opened. "Thanks," he croaked.

"Was it that bad?" her eyes, full of worry, searched his own jade irises.

"It was more intense than the previous episodes I've had...I thought they were gone too...why are they coming back now?" Eren groaned, rubbing his temple with a finger.

"When was the last time you had an attack?"

Eren squinted his eyes thoughtfully. "I'd have to say around three months ago."

"Strange then...it shouldn't be coming back like this all of a sudden."

He shook off the thought. "Anyways let just go home. We've been out long enough."

* * *

A sorrowful melody floated in the air around Levi as he blew on a leaf, enveloping the atmosphere around him in a melancholy state. It was a melody taught to him by the Empress, the same lullaby she used to sing for her infant son before giving him away to save his life. For some reason whenever Levi played the tune on the grass whistle, it felt like the prince was by his side. Even if he had no idea how much the prince has grown, or where he currently was, somewhere deep inside Levi's heart, he believes fully that one day, one day they will be reunited.

"Heichou?"

Turning around with the leaf lowered from his mouth, Levi found Petra standing behind him, clad in her guard uniform.

"It's late Petra. You should go to bed," said Levi, turning back around to stare out into the courtyard.

"That tune. It sounds so sad yet soothing at the same time," she replied, walking over to where he stood, her armor clinking against each other noisily.

Levi returned to blowing on the blade of leaf. Casting her eyes onto the figure of her prince and heichou, Petra noticed there was an air of sadness about the man that normally wasn't present. Perhaps it was the way the wind was blowing through his hair and clothing. Or could it be the melody that was making her imagine things? Her eyes fell upon his unoccupied hand, clutching the wooden railing in front of them, his knuckles turning white. Involuntarily she reached a hand out and placed it on top of his own, only to have Levi jerk and pull his hand from under hers.

"Forgive me heichou. I don't know what came over me," she apologized, bowing her head.

"Forget about it. Get some rest Petra. We have a long day ahead tomorrow," Levi said without looking at her.

With one final look at her prince the blonde guard walked away from the veranda.

* * *

Sitting in one of the trees that overlooked the whole of Kyoto, Eren blew on a blade of grass, allowing its sad melody to envelop him. He had no idea where the melody came from, but it was always somewhere deep inside his subconsciousness and one day, he just started playing the tune. It was sad. Sad and sorrowful. It reminded him of a mother searching for her child that had been lost. As he continued to play a single tear trickled down his face, landing with a soft 'plop' on the back of his hand.

For reasons unfathomable to the man himself whenever Eren played this particular tune, he always ended either crying or feeling a sense of longing, like there was a piece of him inside yearning to burst forth in order to find someone or something.

"Eren?"

The leaves surrounding him rustled noisily as Mikasa popped into view. Whenever she couldn't find her brother in the house, he would always be in this tree. It was his favorite spot to spend time thinking. It was also the place where he came to play the grass whistle. The first time Eren disappeared like that without a word, she practically tore the place apart looking for him until she heard a melody coming from the forest behind their house. Soon after she quickly grew to learn Eren would always be here whenever he wanted to be alone.

"It's late Mikasa. Why are you still up?" Eren lowered the leaf, twisting it around between his thumb and index fingers.

Mikasa settled herself comfortably on one of the branches. "I figured you'd be out here since you weren't in bed."

"The night is tranquil and serene isn't it? It's the only time when the people of Japan can rest without worrying about corruption. In their dreams, they are free to do what they please," murmured Eren.

Enclosing his hand within her own as they sat there together, Mikasa flipped his hand over so that his palm faced her. There were calluses and scars all along the flesh, and she gently traced one of them with a finger. Her hands weren't much softer than that of her brother's, but they were at least in better shape. She only wished there was something more she could do to help her brother. He was always risking his life for others, thinking about others before himself.

"How do you think Hannes is doing?" she asked, leaning against the trunk of the tree.

"Wherever he is, I'm sure he must be living happily away from this place," her brother responded.

"We owe him a lot."

Eren ran his fingers along the edge of the leaf. "Why did he have to leave so abruptly like that?"

"Probably because he knew we'd make him stay if he told us."

"I wish we could see him again."

"Perhaps we will one day," Mikasa adjusted the robe she was wearing.

The same melody filled the air again as Eren resumed blowing on the leaf. Leaning her head on his shoulder while he played beside her, Mikasa dangled her legs over the edge of the branch, staring out into a Kyoto illuminated by lanterns. If there was one thing she wished more than anything, it was to spend the rest of her days like this, living with Eren and continuing to help those in need. Then there was also the task of freeing Christa and Ymir from their okiya.

"When do you think Ymir and Christa will finally be free?"

The melody stopped. "Hard to say. It depends on how much they owe the okiya before their debts are paid."

She sighed. "If only they didn't have to become geishas..."

"It's not a profession they chose. They had no choice. You and I both know they were sold by their families to pay off a debt."

Her gaze hardened. "What kind of parent would do that to their own kid? Selling them to okiyas for their own selfish needs!"

Eren patted her on the head. "Their debt shouldn't be that bad. We can go visit them tomorrow. I have to make a delivery of herbs to the okaa-san of the okiya anyways. It seems her rheumatism is bothering her again now that the weather is changing."

"That reminds me. I can bring several packages of herbs for Christa as well. It seems she and Ymir have come down with a terrible cough."

"We can do that later tomorrow. Now let's go to bed or we won't have energy to open tomorrow."

Silently the two easily swung themselves out of the giant tree.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_How are you all liking the story so far? _

_I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!_

_Chapter 5 will be coming soon! _

_However if you review faster then I will update faster -hint hint- _

_This chapter pretty much revealed a lot ;D_

_Kudos to whoever can guess what the relationship between Levi and Eren is! _

_I put in a lot of hints during this chapter! If you were paying attention, I'm sure you can deduce the whole truth behind the royal family of Japan and the background/past of Eren!_

_See you all in chapter 5!_

_Shadow Songstress~_

**Kagemusha: "Shadow Warrior" a person who is used as a decoy, either for political purposes or by the royal family. Levi is a kagemusha in this story.**

**Okiya: The term given to the lodging where geisha live and train. **

**Geisha: Japanese artisans who sell their arts and entertain guests at various gatherings where they perform dances. **

**Fun Fact: ****Kyoto's Gion district is the most well known for Geishas still exist there. The term given to the bundle of okiyas near one another is called Hanamachi, or "Flower City" Gion (Gion Kobu and Gion Higashi), Miyagawa-cho, Kamishichiken, and Ponto-cho, are the Hanamachi areas of Kyoto. **


	5. If We Had Wings

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

******If We Had Wings**

Children ran through the streets of the village Eren and Mikasa were currently walking through. Both of them carried bundles of wrapped up paper containing various herbs within. They were on their way to the okiya where their friends Christa and Ymir worked and lived in. The okiya was in another part of the village, hidden between various other okiyas, forming a long hanamachi. It was the Gion Kobu district of Kyoto. They both knew customers -mainly men- highly patronized this part of the village, and therefore, the Geishas here were better off than the others.

The okiya where their friends lived was smack in the between a restaurant and another okiya. A black banner hung in front of the door as a greeting of sorts, Eren and Mikasa called out to the owner and slipped their feet out of the straw zori they were wearing.

"Okaa-san, it's Eren and Mikasa," the ravenette called.

Several seconds later the scuffling of feet alerted the siblings to the presence of the owner of the okiya. A middle-aged woman appeared, puffing on a pipe, wearing a black silk kimono decorated with dragons embroidered with golden threads. Her small eyes scrutinized the two at first, before breaking out into a large smile and she embraced the duo, enveloping them in a cloud of tobacco.

"Mikasa! Eren! It's so good to see you again," she huffed, pulling away from them.

"It's good to see you too Sakuya okaa-san," they greeted.

Sakuya gave a chortle and beckoned them inside. "Come on in. I hope you have the herbs for my rheumatism. These old bones of mine start aching when the weather changes," she said, walking down a narrow corridor.

"Sakuya okaa-san is it alright if I drop these off with Christa and Ymir?" Mikasa help up the bundled packages.

"Of course you can dear. Kami those poor girls have been ill with a horrible cough these past few days. Your medicine will help them recover faster. Many customers have been asking for their time, but I had to turn down their engagements."

Mikasa looked at her brother. "I'll be right back."

* * *

Heading down one of the corridors of the okiya with the herbs in hand, Mikasa passed by one of the girls coming down from the stairs, and the two exchanged friendly nods before continuing on their separate ways. The room she had to go to was at the far end of the okiya. When she arrived, Mikasa knocked on the door several times then slid it open.

Christa and Ymir were huddled around the table, eating from bowls of rice while talking quietly to one another.

"Hey guys," Mikasa called.

Both looked up and immediately smiled. "Mikasa!"

"How's the cough?"

"It's subsiding but it's rather persistent," Christa said, pressing a hand against her mouth to prove her point.

Mikasa held out the bundles tied together by rough string. "Well these will make you guys feel better."

Ymir took the packages and tucked them away. "Thanks Mikasa. I'll ask Kaoru to boil it for us later," she poured a cup of tea for her friend. "So tell us what's been going on with you and Eren."

Accepting the cup and folding her legs beneath her robe, the dark-haired woman knelt next to the two girls and inhaled. The warm scent of jasmine tea wafted up her nostrils. She took a small sip of the scalding liquid, setting the cup back down to cool. "We're doing alright. Eren's been busier than usual after defending that girl from those horrible soldiers."

"Christa told me about it when she went to your clinic the other day. Honestly what is the government thinking? Can't they see our people are suffering and should support instead of torturing its people?"

"The Emperor and Empress don't care for us. We have to fend for ourselves out on the streets," agreed Mikasa.

"You two! Be careful the guards don't hear you say that," Christa exclaimed in a horrified voice.

"So what? Let them hear. It's time those royal buffoons open their damn eyes instead of shutting themselves within their fancy walls," snorted Ymir, biting vigorously on a piece of fish.

* * *

Eren poured the various herbs into a boiling pot of water in the kitchen, replacing the lid on to allow it to simmer while Sakuya stood behind him. It would take at least several minutes for it to brew, so he turned back around to face the owner of the okiya.

"How have things been lately Eren? Are you eating properly? You've gotten skinnier since the last time we spoke," Sakuya frowned at the ravenette, checking him from head to toe while puffing at her pipe.

"I'm fine Sakuya okaa-san, really," Eren held his hands up and gave a sheepish grin.

She roughly shoved his head from side to side and frowned even more. "No. This will not do. You are not getting enough food! I will make you and your sister a nice warm meal. Don't think about going anywhere after boiling my medicine for me," she commanded, hobbling away towards another part of the kitchen.

He stared at her back and let out a nervous chuckle. "Well...if you insist," he called.

* * *

A horse's happy neigh echoed in the air when it spotted its master walking down towards the stables. Pawing at the rough ground with a hoof, the horse stuck its head into the barrel of hay and munched away. Levi entered the stables and made a beeline for his beloved mare. The doe-eyed roan mare was a gift to him from the Emperor and Empress, and he reared it as a young filly. The bond between him and Noir was deep and strong. He couldn't ask for a better partner than her. Rubbing a hand along her smooth muzzle, Levi smiled genuinely when Noir nipped at his sash, searching for the treat he had hidden there.

"You're getting spoiled too much," he scolded, producing a cube of sugar and holding it out to his mare.

Noir crunched down on it happily.

Reaching for the saddle hanging on a peg next to his horse, Levi saddled up Noir while she resumed eating hay. Taking down the reigns from the next set of hooks, he carefully slid it over her head and made sure it wasn't biting into her lips.

"How about we go for a ride?" he said.

She snorted at him.

* * *

"Arigato Sakuya okaa-san!" Eren and Mikasa called from the entrance.

"Come back anytime you two," the woman responded.

Together the siblings left the okiya and headed back to their own clinic, both carrying wrapped packages of food prepared by Sakuya. Mikasa insisted that they were fine at first, but the old woman was persistent in her ways. Not wanting her good gestures to go to waste, the two reluctantly accepted the food as payment for the herbs they brought to her in the morning.

"How are we going to eat all of this?" Mikasa said, staring at the enormous package in her hand.

"We can share some with our clients or something," suggested her brother.

"First let's eat some. I'm getting hungry."

They stopped by a riverbank and sat on a rock overlooking the stream. Untying the knot from the top of the boxes, the siblings took off the cover and peered inside the bentos. Onigiris, vegetables, rice, and curry greeted them cheerily from within the boxes. The smell was enough to make their stomachs growl even more in hunger.

"Well then, ittadakimasu," they chimed.

* * *

Levi enjoyed the solitude of riding alone, without the usual army surrounding him whenever he went out of the palace gates. Although he was nothing more than a fake, those in the imperial army saw him as their leader. If only they knew the truth behind their precious "prince" and "heichou" as they all love to call him. Levi wasn't afraid of being shunned by his comrades. He was afraid of not finding the missing heir and failing in his duty to the Emperor and Empress.

Noir snorted her head and pulled up.

"What's the matter?" he asked, running a hand down her mane.

Sounds of laughter drifted over to where he was and Levi turned towards the source of the noise.

Two people were sitting on a rock by the river, laughing and sharing food with one another. However one silhouette looked strangely familiar and Levi soon recognized him to be the person who had spoken back the other day.

What was his name?

...

Eren.

Yes. It was Eren.

Beside him sat a girl about the same age as Eren, and she was pushing a piece of vegetable into his mouth, to which Eren responded by leaning away from her touch.

"Even he has someone who cares for him..." murmured Levi.

Noir snorted again and tossed her head up at her master.

He smiled down at her. "I know you care about me Noir."

She quieted down a bit, pawing at the moist earth with one hoof.

Deciding not to intrude upon the two while he was trying to be incognito -he even changed his outfit to a plain robe- Levi directed Noir away from the river and headed for the nearest village. As his mare trotted slowly along the dirt road, he tilted his head back and stared at the cloudless sky. A bird flew by overhead, making Levi wonder how it felt like to have wings. To be able to soar in the skies. To travel where one wanted and when one wanted.

"If only we had wings..."

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_I'm pretty sure several of you got the right answer from the previous chapter regarding Levi and Eren's relationship with one another _

_Thanks for the reviews! We've broken the 50 review mark! Keep them coming!_

_I will try to update this story once a week or so, but no promises here. _

_See you all in 6!_

_Shadow Songstress~_


	6. Bound By Oath

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

******Bound By Oath**

The village Levi entered was by far one of the worst he had ever seen. Or it could be because he simply never ventured this far from the palace on his own before. He knew those in the East and West were better off than those of the North or South, but he wasn't expecting it to be _this _bad. Children dressed in tattered robes with broken zori on their feet wandered the streets, begging for food from vendors or any passerby. The houses were run-down, and even the people who inhabited them seemed on the verge of starvation. Despite not being the actual prince Levi still couldn't help but feel sympathy and pity for the commoners.

"Please give us some money," a little girl begged, tugging on the hem of his grey robe.

Levi reached into his sash and pulled out a few coins, handing it to the little girl and watching as her face lit up, she bowed her head at him and then ran off to find her friends. No doubt to share whatever food the money could fetch them. Noir snorted and tossed her head, neighing loudly as Levi spotted a group of unruly looking males approaching him.

"Well what do we have here? A fancily clad person riding a horse? How much do you think the beauty will fetch eh fellas?" he asked his entourage.

Calmly dismounting Noir with a firm hand around her reigns, Levi merely stared at the man coldly, his icy blue eyes narrowing into a steely gaze.

"Tough guy huh? Why don't we teach you a lesson in respecting your elders?" the same guy barked.

Five or six guys then spread out and surrounded Levi in an enclosed circle, slowly moving in on the man until he could smell their pungent breaths in the air. It made him want to gag. One of the guys lunged outward at him from the right, and Levi quickly countered by elbowing him in the chin, dropping his attacker to the ground.

"Hayate! Teme yarou," his companions growled.

Pulling out hidden knives from their sleeves and brandishing them under broad daylight, the group of men lashed at Levi with the sharp weapons. One tore through the material of his robe, leaving behind a thin, scarlet trail of blood in its wake. Hissing softly as he cradled his left hand gingerly against his chest, Levi arched his body backwards as another knife soared over his face.

"Oi Hikaru, teme nani o shite iru no desuka?" a voice interjected.

The attackers immediately froze in their steps when they recognized who it belonged to. Carefully turning around with a nervous smile on his face, the leader spotted the only two people he feared mere feet away from where he stood.

"Eren, Mikasa, what brings you two here?" he stammered nervously.

* * *

Crossing his arms over his chest with a kill-you-dead look all over his face, Eren glared at the troublemaker alongside his sister. They were the only two in the village whom everyone feared and respected. Respected because they were doctors, and feared because they could take out an entire army without breaking a sweat. No one would want to get on their bad side.

"Leave him alone," commanded the ravenette.

"O-Of course Eren. Oi come on you guys," Hikaru said and hurriedly disappeared out of sight.

Bending down to help the poor man up, the ravenette was surprised when he found himself staring face to face with the prince of Japan.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed, glancing around to make sure no one recognized who the man was.

"That's none of your concern," retorted the man.

"Mikasa, bring the horse back to our house. I'll take care of him," Eren called over his shoulder.

His sister nodded and slowly approached the giant mare, rubbing a hand up and down its muzzle to calm it down as she led it away.

"Do you have a death wish? People will _kill _you if they found out who you were," continued the ravenette, helping the prince stand up.

Levi scoffed. "I don't need your help."

"Right because you had everything under control," replied Eren sarcastically.

"Where are you taking me?" demanded Levi.

"To our house so I can stop the bleeding and make sure it doesn't get infected.

* * *

As soon as they were within sight of the only house overlooking the vast ocean behind it, Eren brought the injured prince inside and sat him down in one of the stools. After making sure the man wouldn't fuss or try to escape, the ravenette went about the room gathering dried herbs. Mikasa was in the kitchen, preparing food for their evening meal. Grabbing a stone bowl and the grinder he normally used, Eren went back over to the table and placed everything down.

He got to work grinding up the dried herbs into a small paste, which he lathered onto a clean cloth, spreading it evenly.

"Why did you save me? I thought you hated royalty," asked Levi, watching him work.

"I hate the rich who are corrupt yes, but I am also a doctor. I can't just stand by and watch as people get mistreated and beaten without stepping in to help them. I made a oath to my parents to never turn away from a person in need," Eren said without looking up.

"Where are your parents?"

"Dead," replied the ravenette flatly.

Levi looked at the ground. "I see."

Mixing the paste together with some more herbs that will help heal the cut without leaving a scar, Eren spread that onto the already prepared cloth and looked at the prince. "Give me your hand," he ordered, taking it firmly when the man complied.

Levi hissed as a stinging sensation raced up his arm. "What is this?"

"A small poultice to speed the healing and clean the wound," Eren wrapped the cloth around Levi's forearm a couple of times, securing the ends together tightly.

"You have my thanks," Levi replied, examining the knot carefully.

Eren cleared away the table. "You're welcome. Your horse is in the back should you feel like leaving."

"You're not going to force me into staying?"

"I'm a doctor, not a kidnapper. Do you honestly think I will be able to keep my head if word got out the Prince of Japan is being kept at my house? I value my life too much to be put in that situation," Eren walked away with the tools in his hands.

* * *

Humming to herself as she chopped up more vegetables on a cutting board, Mikasa threw those into an already boiling pot of soup, inhaling the aroma it gave off while fanning the flames. Sitting atop the stove was a wooden bucket halfway full of rice, which she would occasionally lift the lid off of, to check on the progress of the white grains inside. She turned when footsteps entered the kitchen, and found Eren washing out the stone bowl in a basin of water lying on the ground.

"How did it go?" she inquired, stirring the pot with a long wooden spoon.

"He wasn't that difficult to deal with."

She gave a small laugh. "Who knew he'd actually obey?"

"Do you need any help?" Eren stood up and stretched his limbs.

"Can you draw some more water from the well? I want to make some jasmine tea for later."

"Yea sure," the ravenette grabbed the wooden bucket from the floor and headed out back.

* * *

_Splash_.

The wooden bucket hit the bottom of the well where clean water gathered. Carefully reeling it back up using the device fastened at the top of the well, Eren pulled up the bucket of fresh water. When it was all the way at the top he slowly unhooked the rope from the band, setting the bucket on the floor and making sure not to spill a single drop.

"Is this what you do every day?"

"For you who lives in the palace and has servants who pamper you on a daily basis, you wouldn't understand what it means to toil under the sun and grow your own food."

Eren walked past Levi without glancing at the man, but paused right at the entrance to the kitchen. "If you truly care for your people then do something to help the commoners. Make a difference in this country. Too many lives have been lost defending our borders from enemy attacks, and yet, those with power fail to see the toll it's taken on its people. There are families out there who have lost their children because they were soldiers. Families who go hungry because they lost their main breadwinner. If you care about Japan, about _us_, then _do _something about it."

"There is nothing I can do to influence those at court."

Flaring jade met impassive sapphire. "Then you _don't _deserve to be the Prince of Japan."

Levi was then left alone as Eren disappeared inside the house.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_I will update Falling For You later today! _

_Also if I have time then I will upload another chapter of Tsubasa._

_Don't you all love me for this? :P_

_I know many of you want to read more but you have to understand, I'm a college student and I have work to do XD so please don't rush me by asking me to update faster! I will update when I can. I can say that I will probably update on a weekly basis or so, and if I get a new job, then I don't know when -sweats- the things I do for cosplay. _

_If anyone lives in NYC and wants to cosplay as Eren Jaeger for NYCC 2014 then PM me! XD I'm planning on cosplaying as Levi for NYCC 2014! _

_See you all in 7! _

_Shadow Songstress~_

**Teme nani o shite iru no desuka: What are you doing? **

**Teme yarou: You bastard**


	7. Why Do We Fight?

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

******Why Do We Fight? **

By the time Levi returned to the small house -after staring at the forest for more than an hour- he wasn't surprised to find Eren and his sister huddled around a small table, quietly eating their evening meal while chatting softly. He also noticed there was an extra place set up for him at the table. Taken aback by the gesture -no one ever offered him a meal before- Levi stood there, unsure of what to do until the ravenette looked up from his bowl of rice.

"You can join us if you want," he stated before going back to talking.

Hesitating at the table for several moments Levi finally sat down and picked up the bowl of rice. Unlike in the palace, where servants brought him the finest delicacies freshly made and caught every day, he was surprised to find this meal composed of nothing more than a bowl of rice, soup, a small fish, and some vegetables.

"Of course this must be new to you. You're probably used to eating fancy food at the palace," Eren said when he noticed Levi staring at the plates.

"Is this really how you live?" Levi asked.

"Bit late now to realize that, don't you think?"

This only made Levi want to find the missing heir all the more.

Carefully picking apart the fish with the pair of wooden chopsticks provided, Levi bit into it and found it was full of flavor. Hints of ginger and scallion danced across his taste-buds, and what was even more surprising was there was soy sauce in it. Not many people could afford a commodity such as soy sauce these days. Not with the ridiculously high tax placed on it by the palace.

The trio ate in silence for a while until a loud knock at the door interrupted their meal. Mikasa got up to answer it, opening the door to find herself staring right at a spear pointed in her face. Her demeanor remained calm and cool as she looked at the guard who had so rudely rapped on their door.

"Can I help you?"

"By orders of the Imperial Palace, you and your brother are hereby apprehended for kidnapping the crown prince of Japan," the blonde guard stated in a cold voice.

Eren got up to join his sister. "First of all you don't have the right to come barging into someone's house in the middle of the night. Second of all we did _not _kidnap your prince. He is right behind me. And third of all, if it weren't for us who saved his life, your prince would have fallen prey to street thugs."

"Cut the crap! We have witnesses who saw you bring the prince to your house!"

Levi slammed the chopsticks on the table. "Petra!" he snapped.

Said blonde guard peered over Eren's shoulder and gasped. "Heichou! We're glad to see you safe!" she turned her attention back to the duo. "Seize them!" she ordered in a sharp voice.

More guards appeared and grabbed the two, twisting their arms behind their backs in a tight hold. Mikasa wanted to break free from their grasps but a shake of the head from Eren told her otherwise. If they revealed they knew martial arts, then there is a high chance the guards will deduce that Eren is Tsubasa and that won't be a good thing on their part.

"Release them," barked Levi furiously.

"But heichou-"

"They speak the truth," the man simply held out his injured arm for the guards to see.

Petra clenched her hands together tightly. "Release them," she said in a clipped voice.

Mikasa fell against her brother when the guard shoved her a bit too roughly aside. Rubbing her wrists to ease the flow of blood back into her hands, she shot a dark look at the guard.

"You alright?" Eren whispered.

"Yea," she answered, still glaring at the guard.

Levi turned his head to Eren. "I apologize for what just happened. It seems my presence is causing panic and trouble at the palace. I must return."

"Get out of here," spat the ravenette.

"Petra!" reprimanded Levi when he spotted her raising an arm in the air.

She quickly lowered it and stepped back in place.

"Farewell," Levi said before departing with the guards.

* * *

"Heichou why did you help those two?" Petra couldn't help but ask.

Levi mounted Noir and adjusted himself on the saddle. "Because they spoke the truth," he simply said.

"You mean they really did save you?"

He skewered her with his icy blue eyes. "Are you calling me a liar?"

"No! Of course not heichou," she hastily replied.

"Where is Erwin? I thought he'd be the one to escort me back."

"Danchou is currently away on a mission. He'll be back the day after tomorrow."

They rode in silence after that.

* * *

Mikasa came out of the bathroom wiping a towel around her short locks. Eren was seated at the table again, pouring over various maps and papers marked with ink. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he was doing. Her brother was planning another heist, and it seems the palace will be the intended target again.

"Eren, the water is still warm if you want to take a bath," she said to him.

"I will in a minute," jade eyes never left the maps.

She covered his hand with her own. "Don't you think it's time we relocated somewhere else?"

Now he looked at her in confusion. "Why? I thought you liked it here?"

"I do but those guards seem to pester us for reasons unknown. Let's make a living elsewhere in peace Eren."

He patted her hand. "The people need me. Need _us. _We can't just abandon them like this."

"I know...but still didn't we agree to become doctors to help others?"

"When this whole Tsubasa business is finished, I promise you we'll move somewhere else and live in peace alright?"

"How long will that take?"

Eren shrugged his shoulders. "Depends on how long those bastards take to open their damn eyes. Remember we represent hope for the people. It's the reason why we fight."

A sigh escaped her lips, knowing her brother had a point in this conversation. "So what are you planning on stealing this time?" she inquired, eyeing the pieces of paper littering the wooden table.

Her brother rummaged around the papers and pulled one out, holding it in front of her vision. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw what the next treasure was going to be.

"You're insane," she murmured, shaking her head at him.

"Nope. I'm totally sane," he retorted with a grin.

"When do you plan on doing this?"

"Tomorrow evening. This time I will get all four sacred treasures of the guardian deities. It belongs to the people and not the imperial palace."

The candle flickered in the evening wind as the two stared at the paper drawing.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_Slightly shorter than the previous chapter but I'll make it up later! _

_I've decided to alternate updating Tsubasa and Falling For You since it seems my reviewers have gone poof -sobs in corner-_

_See you all in 8!_


	8. Prophecy & The Four Sacred Treasures

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

******Prophecy & The Four Sacred Treasures**

"Thank you Eren! Mikasa!" an elderly couple said, waving as they left the clinic with a bunch of herbs in their hands.

"Take care you two," replied Mikasa, closing the doors to their house for the day.

Eren stretched his stiff limbs over his head and yawned simultaneously. "What a day. My back is aching."

"Perhaps then you don't have to sneak into the palace?" asked Mikasa hopefully.

"Not a chance. Tonight is the perfect opportunity to do it."

Mikasa sighed and shook her head. "You're hopeless."

"Come on. It'll be getting dark soon and I need your help to get ready.

* * *

Suzaku.

Seiryuu.

Byakko.

Genbu.

The four sacred guardian deities of the four directions.

Four sacred treasures associated with said guardians which were handed over to the Imperial Palace as a sign of good will and loyalty by the very first chiefs.

Of course the descendants of the four villages have long since petitioned the royal family for the return of these treasures, but their requests fell upon deaf ears. Everyone knew the daimyos loved and hoarded treasure more than anything, especially if those treasures had to do with being the finest jewels in all of Japan.

The Jewel of Suzaku was a brilliant Ruby.

The Jewel of Seiryuu was the richest and bluest Sapphire.

The Jewel of Byakko was the purest of Topaz.

The Jewel of Genbu was the lovely Emerald.

Each jewel was guarded in a different section of the palace under heavy supervision.

If Eren wanted to make it out of there with all four treasures, he'll have to be _very _accurate and timing _must _be flawless.

Good thing he was very agile and lithe.

* * *

Sneaking his way into the palace was the easy part.

The difficult challenge came in the form of figuring how to nab all four jewels without being caught or spotted. Carried with him this evening was four perfectly created replicas of the jewels, which Eren intended to leave behind to avoid suspicion about the jewels being stolen. Unlike his other heists where his targets were deliberately allowed information of his coming to steal riches, this time was different. He planned to travel incognito and under cover of night. It was the best situation at times like this.

Now that he was over the gates of the moat surrounding the palace, the ravenette leaped from building to building, making sure his feet never once made a sound. Inwardly he thanked Hannes -where the man was- for the relentless training forced upon himself and Mikasa. If it weren't for that, his prowess wouldn't be this good. Not to mention he practiced countless times to make sure his movements were silent and unpredictable.

Perfect for performing thefts.

"-You hear that heichou was apparently kidnapped by two doctors today?" a guard beneath the building said.

Eren paused in his steps to listen.

"No way? Really? Were the two captured?" responded his partner.

"From what I heard earlier through Petra, they were saved when heichou ordered them to be released."

The two guards turned along another road leading to the southern part of the palace, and Eren was left in silence after that. For a brief moment he remained motionless, slipping his mask down just enough to rub his eyes wearily. Granted, he supposed he did owe the prince gratitude for his actions earlier, but another part of him was unable to put down the hatred for the royal family and corrupted officials. Especially not for the deaths of his parents.

Regaining his composure through inhaling deep breaths, Eren continued jumping from building to building until he arrived at the first destination. It was the house of Suzaku, erected to honor the Vermillion Bird, with the Ruby placed in front of a gilded, golden statue of the marvelous bird. It is said that whoever possesses the Ruby, and is true of heart, will be granted the protection of Suzaku and the ability to control fire. This was but a myth of course, and the ravenette was not one to believe in superstitions.

Swinging down from the ceiling and landing on his feet like a cat, he pushed open the wooden doors carefully and stepped inside.

Indeed like the rumors say there was a large, golden statue of Suzaku smack in the center of the room, resting upon an altar with the Ruby in front of it. Eren was mesmerized by the statue. Whoever carved Suzaku, carved the deity with its wings spread out on either side of its body, its regal head pointed downward, its tail feathers fanned out evenly behind, and its beak was open slightly, like it was about to breath out fire at any moment. Carefully approaching the statue while still entranced by its beauty, Eren pulled out the fake replica of the Ruby, and quickly swapped the two gems. The jewel felt heavy in his hand, and was no bigger than the size of his palm, yet it shone with the brilliance of blood, which was intensified when he held it against the flames, watching as it glittered and sparkled.

Soft footsteps alarmed the ravenette and he whirled around, a hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword as he scanned the area. Slowly a figure emerged from the shadows, causing Eren to think it was a guard or a patrol. As the figure closed the distance between them, jade eyes could make out a flowing red robe, which trailed along the floor, and the softest tinkling of golden bands rubbing against one another. The figure stopped just mere feets away from where he stood, and the lights from the candles revealed a woman of no more than 20 years of age, with blazing scarlet hair, and eyes that seem to peer into his very soul.

"I have been waiting for you," she said in a melodic voice.

"Who are you?" demanded Eren, never letting his guard down.

"I am the High Priestess of Suzaku. My name is Hono, and I have waited for your arrival."

_Fire. A befitting name for a priestess of the Vermillion Bird_.

"Why were you waiting for me? Shouldn't you be screaming for help right about now?"

The priestess shook her head. "No. You are the chosen one, the one destined to restore peace and prosperity to all of Japan," she continued, her eyes never leaving his.

Eren narrowed his own into slits. "What do you mean?"

Hono brushed past Eren quietly to stand in front of the statue, running a hand down the bird's gilded body, like she was speaking to the carving and asking it for advice.

"The guardians are angry and restless. They have long protected Japan since ancient times, watched over and guided generation after generation of offspring. People prayed to them for guidance in the past, but now, now not many remember who the deities are. That has saddened heaven. It is the main reason why Japan is no longer prosperous, and its citizens are unhappy with the ruling family. When the Emperor and Empress ascended the throne, those who plotted against them banished the four most influential members from the court, knowing that they were true and will always align with the royal family. Those people did it to make sure no one would oppose them, and also to secure power at the same time."

"What does that have to do with me?" Eren lowered his hand away from the sword.

She walked over to him, cupping his hands with her own and looked at the ruby. "Contrary to what the people were told, these jewels actually belonged to the four banished members of the council. You were all told they were taken from the first chiefs of the four villages, but that is not the truth. Before leaving the imperial palace for their homeland, the four members secretly met with the Emperor and Empress, leaving behind these jewels and claiming they will take up arms in the future when their aid is needed. I know you came here this night with the intent on stealing them, to distribute to the poor who have long been oppressed by the rich. The deities admire you for your courage and bravery, and thus, sent each of us a vision that will aid you in your quest."

"Us? Quest? You're not making any sense. I only came here to steal the treasures because they belong rightfully to the people of Japan," Eren said hotly, wanting to pull his hand away but found he couldn't.

Hono looked him in the eyes. "Japan will soon be invaded by its neighbors. Our borders are weak and unprotected. Only with the help of the four banished members can you save our country from strife and turmoil."

"The prince of Japan is more than capable of defending our borders from invaders."

"He is but one man," Hono tilted her head skyward. "It appears you do not realize who you truly are Tsubasa. Your destiny has yet revealed itself to you. I cannot tell you anything further regarding your identity. That is something you must discover on your own. Do not fear that guards will suddenly burst in through the doors. They have been instructed to leave this place alone, as it is sacred and they dare not anger a priestess of Suzaku."

A piercing pain rendered Eren half-blinded as he fell on his knees, pressing a hand against his head and groaning in pain. Dropping down to her feet gracefully, the priestess rested her own hand on his and spoke. "You are our light of hope. Our freedom. Only you can restore peace to Japan. Take the ruby and go. Find the other three priestesses who guard the treasures. I can tell you they are not within the imperial palace. The Emperor and Empress split us all up in case the daimyos wanted to try something funny. Mizu is in one of the villages to the East, which is guarded by Seiryuu. Find her and show her the ruby. She will know what to do. As for Kaze and Daichi, I have lost contact with them and do not know their whereabouts. Perhaps Umi will shed light on their locations. A great burden has fallen upon your shoulders Tsubasa, but know that the deities are on your side. Find Umi. Find the four banished members. Restore Japan. Only _you _can do this."

The pain vanished as suddenly as it had come and Eren gasped, sucking in huge gulps of air as he looked to his right, but Hono was nowhere in sight.

"Was that all my hallucination?..." Eren struggled to his feet, swaying a bit but regained his balance.

Pocketing the Ruby in his pouch, the ravenette quickly departed the House of Suzaku.

Hono stepped out from the shadows and glanced at the statue. "I've done my part in this...Seiryuu, Byakko, Genbu, the rest is up to you. Guide and aid Tsubasa on his quest to restore peace to Japan, and to make the people remember who we are," she murmured.

Then a brilliant flash of light engulfed the room as Hono morphed into Suzaku. Spreading her wings outward with a loud cry, she took off and disappeared in a burst of red.

* * *

Levi spent the entire evening in his room after returning to the palace. Insisting to Petra that all was well and he wanted to retire for some rest, he promptly left the blonde woman gawking at him awkwardly as he swiftly departed from the stables. The truth was the wound sustained from Tsubasa was bothering him. Although Hanji had given him a poultice for the injury, with instructions to change the bandages daily, he never really got a chance to do it because of what had transpired earlier that day. Once he was inside his own room and had taken a bath, he changed the bandages and was now currently sitting on the veranda outside his room which overlooked the vast garden.

He was still thinking about the conversation with Eren from earlier. Something the doctor said had triggered long forgotten feelings buried deep in the recess of his mind. While it was true Eren said he hated the corrupted and the royal family for what they have done to the poor, the man still went and saved him from the thugs, and then helped apply a poultice to the wound on his arm. Though Eren said it was his duty as a doctor to never turn away from a patient in need, something was telling Levi that the ravenette was really much more kinder than he appeared to be.

Rustling sounds coming from the trees alerted Levi to the presence of another soul. Reaching for the hidden dagger kept inside his sleeve -mainly for protection purposes- he waited with baited breath.

_Thud._

A figure fell into the veranda.

A figure Levi knew all too well.

"Tsubasa!" he hissed, pulling out the dagger in anticipation for an attack.

Instead of springing at him with a drawn blade -Levi was expecting this- Tsubasa cowered on the floor, clutching his head with both hands and seemed to be in pain. Slowly approaching the man with caution while keeping his hand extended, Levi saw Tsubasa had squeezed his eyes shut, and was shaking his head from side to side, like he was trying to rid his mind of something.

"What's wrong with you?" Levi asked, being careful not to get too close to the man.

Tsubasa groaned in response.

* * *

Eren wished he was dead right now more than anything.

In the middle of fleeing from the palace another headache overcame him, forcing the ravenette the fall to the ground and right into the quarters of Levi. He knew the man would most likely either jump on him or anticipate an attack, but the prince of Japan was the least of Eren's concerns right now. It felt like someone had taken a chisel and was currently pounding away at his temples. The pain was unbearable. It was even worse than the attack the other day at the lake with Mikasa.

"What's wrong with you?" he vaguely made out the words Levi was speaking.

Instead of responding to the question due to the pounding headache, Eren pulled out a small bottle of pills and shook one out onto his palm. Quickly throwing it into his mouth to crunch down on it, he swallowed the pill and waited for the headache to ebb away.

It did after several minutes.

Only then did he finally open his eyes.

"Why are you here? What have you stolen this time?" hissed Levi angrily.

The ravenette pulled out his iron fan and spread it open, pushing himself into a defensive position to avoid any oncoming attacks from the man. Now that he's crossed blades twice with Levi, he wasn't so keen to get into a battle with him. Now was not the time to engage in a fight. Not when he had to get back home and try -or at least attempt- to recall what the hell happened inside the House of Suzaku.

Pulling out several needles from his pouch Eren quickly threw them at Levi, distracting the man while he deftly leapt over the high wall surrounding his estate.

* * *

In another part of the palace several daimyos had gathered together for a secret meeting. Soon it will be their deadline and the men need to discuss their next set of actions if they wished to save their hides.

"What are we going to do? Our deadlines is coming in a few days and we still haven't gotten rid of that pesky prince!" one said, jabbing his finger on the table for dramatic effects.

"Our only choice now is to drug Levi and kidnap him. It's the only way to bargain with the Emperor and Empress to give up their throne for the life of their son. If they refuse then all we have to do is kill the prince. Without Levi by their side, the two are weak and will be overthrown easily."

The third member shook his head. "What about the prophecy? The rumors we've been hearing? Aren't you worried about angering the gods and receiving divine retribution?"

"Are you scared of some silly old myth? I thought you were braver than that Ryouga."

The man, Ryouga, crossed his arms and huffed. "I'm just saying we should think this through. We've done enough to anger the four deities. We don't need their wrath upon our heads as well. Remember there are four still out there capable of stopping us."

"Listen to Koutarou for once you twit. It's nothing more but a mere myth. Besides the four who support the Emperor and Empress have been banished from the court. They haven't been heard from since. Not to mention we have the locations and whereabouts of the four jewels. Even if something were to happen, who do you think will honestly stop us?"

Ryouga pulled out a paper bearing the emblem of Tsubasa and threw it on the table. "This man. Tsubasa. He will be our downfall unless we get rid of him!"

"Let's set up a trap for him _and _the prince. That way we can get rid of two birds with one stone! No one will stop us then when Japan is invaded and we become the new rulers," cackled the first daimyo.

Laughter and clapping ensued.

Unbeknownst to the men whom were all busy celebrating, a pair of topaz eyes witnessed the whole scene, and then blended back within the shadows.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_Before you all start ranting about this chapter, I want to make one thing clear. The confrontation between Eren and Hono was intended! **Intended!** This is to make sure that Levi and Eren's paths are intertwined as they set out to save Japan together. So please, don't tell me in a review that it is confusing or it's getting choppy again because I intended for the story to be this way! Eren will still remain as Tsubasa until he figures out the truth behind his identity (which won't happen for like another ten chapters or so) and there will be OCs joining him starting from the next chapter! _

_It is necessary for the development of this story, otherwise it won't have much of a plot other than Eren stealing treasures from the palace and Levi stopping him, with the two falling for each other in the process. I want the two to develop their relationship. Remember Levi is a kagemusha and therefore, he wants nothing more than to feel what it's like to love and be loved in return. So I've decided to make their relationship develop and blossom aside from just throwing them together without much development at all. _

_Also another note I want to make is the ancient Japanese believed in the spirit world, such as yokai and seirei (spirits). Therefore please don't bash on the sudden appearance of Suzaku in this story because it is perfectly normal, as this story takes place in ancient Japan, where mythology and folklore was a daily part of life. There's a reason why Mikos and Onmyoujis existed back then! _

_I'll also start introducing the OCs in this story at the end of each chapter. Only the important ones though. Ones that are needed for the story. _

_See you all in 9!_

_One more thing, 100+ reviews?! I LOVE YOU GUYS! _

_Falling For You will be updated later today after I come home and take a nap -snickers- _

_Shadow Songstress~_

**Hono (Fire): The High Priestess of Suzaku. She is the one in charge of overseeing the Ruby which belongs to the Vermillion Bird. Actual form is Suzaku. **

**Mizu (Water): The High Priestess of Seiryuu. She is charged with protecting the Sapphire belonging to the Azure Dragon. Actual form is the embodiment of Seiryuu.**

**Kaze (Wind): The High Priestess of Byakko. Protector of the Topaz belonging to the White Tiger. Actual form is Byakko.**

**Daichi (Land): The High Priest of Genbu. The only male member of the four and guardian of the Emerald belonging to the Black Tortoise. Actual form is Genbu. **


	9. Denial Of Truth

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Denial Of Truth **

Eren walked back into the secret room after going through the trapdoor and wasn't surprised to discover Mikasa was curled up against one of the windows, her head leaning against the bottom portion, the red scarf he gave her wrapped around her neck, and a small blanket covering her body. Untying the mask from around his face and laying it down on the table, the ravenette went over to his sister and gently shook her awake.

"Mikasa."

She groaned and opened her eyes. "Eren? You're back," she mumbled, hugging him tightly.

"I'm back and there's a lot I have to tell you."

"Did something happen?" her voice laced with concern.

He shook his head and started undoing the armor from his body. Mikasa helped her brother in the task and prompted him to start his tale.

"So I went to steal the Ruby from the House of Suzaku and something bizarre happened."

Lithe fingers pulled at the knots securing the plates around Eren's wrists. "What bizarre event?"

"Will you call me crazy if I told you a High Priestess of Suzaku appeared and told me that the fate of Japan rested on my shoulders?"

Mikasa blinked.

Then held a hand to her brother's forehead. "Are you alright? You don't seem to have a fever."

He swatted her hand away. "I'm not sick."

"Then what's all this talk about the fate of Japan resting on your shoulders?"

Eren heaved a heavy sigh sat down on the table. "I don't know Mikasa. Everything isn't making sense right now."

* * *

Daichi entered an abandoned house on the outskirts of Kyoto and hurriedly closed the door. Seated at a square table were Mizu, Hono, and Kaze. The four deities took on these earthly avatars whenever they wanted to descend to the realm below. These were dire times and therefore they had no choice but to leave their palaces. When they arrived in Japan they were shocked by the state of affairs. The poor were left to fend for themselves and the rich just remained in their houses, never even batting an eye at those who needed help.

"What did you find out?" Kaze asked.

"They're planning on getting rid of the kagemusha and Tsubasa."

Mizu, the normally calm and collected one, pounded a fist on the table. Like the element she represented, her emotions ranged from calm to anger, just like how water constantly shifts in its surroundings. "We must do something or else Japan will fall!" she stated heatedly, slowly removing her hand.

"Be calm Mizu. There will be a logical way to solve this," Kaze answered wisely.

"Byakko we have _no _time to think things through rationally. Japan will fall to its enemies unless something happens," countered Mizu.

"Byakko is right. We cannot interfere in mortal affairs Seiryuu, we can only guide them."

The blue-haired goddess snorted. "How unlike you to side with Byakko. Aren't you supposed to represent the element of fire Suzaku?"

"Now is not the time to be arguing amongst ourselves!" snapped Genbu.

"What do you suggest we do then?"

"I've already set in motion a plan to save Japan. Tsubasa will come looking for the sapphire which you have in your possession Seiryuu. At that time you must guide him on his next step."

She eyed her fellow goddess carefully. "I will do my best."

"The fate of our country now rests in the hands of one person," Daichi stated solemly.

* * *

For the next several days Eren remained at the clinic, helping out his sister with the patients that frequented them on a daily basis. Somewhere in the back of his mind the ravenette still refused to believe that the fate of the world rests in his hands. Even if a High Priestess of Suzaku told him it was true. He found it hard to believe. Why him? What's so special about him that the gods ordained this destiny for him to follow?

"Eren?" Mikasa waved a hand at her brother's face.

He blinked. "Hmm what?"

"Are you alright? You've been out of it lately," she frowned at him.

"Just thinking..."

Mikasa fanned the stove with a bamboo fan, making sure the medicine didn't boil over. "Still thinking about the words of the High Priestess?"

"It's just a lot to take in," Eren yelped and waved his hand in the air, accidentally burning himself.

"Why don't you go out front and I'll boil the medicine? You'll end up setting our house on fire at this rate," his sister came over and shook her head at him.

Eren nodded. "I'll be out in the back. I need some fresh air."

"Call me if you need anything," she said as he walked out to the back.

* * *

The only time Eren truly felt at home was when he was with Mikasa. She is his only family left after all, even if they weren't related by blood. As much as he wanted to find out about her past circumstances, and why his mom made him look after her, the ravenette never let that aspect of their relationship get the best of him. Mikasa trust him. He trusted her. That was the gist of it.

In retrospect Eren was glad he didn't know her past. Nor was she able to recall anything before his mom found her on the streets that day. It's not the past that was important to them. It was the present. The present and the future. As soon as this whole Tsubasa business was finished, they will move away from this part of the capital and settle elsewhere, hopefully to much more peaceful lives.

Plucking a leaf from one of the nearby trees, Eren started blowing on it again as the same melody from several nights ago filled the air. There was something about this song that soothed him. Yet at the same time it was odd because he couldn't remember _where _he had heard this from. Perhaps it was a clue to his past?

He didn't want to think much about it.

"Am I doing the right thing?" he spoke to the wind, lowering the leaf from his mouth.

The wind answered by blowing through his clothing.

"If what that priestess said was true...then...mom, dad, what should I do? Tell me what my path should be."

Eren tilted his head backwards and gazed at the blue sky.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_Things have been hectic lately so I apologize for not updating as frequently as I used to._

_I will still work on Falling For You and Tsubasa so do not worry!_

_See you all next chapter! _

_Shadow Songstress~_


	10. Saving His Life

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Saving His Life**

Later that evening Eren and Mikasa were settling down for a quiet meal in their house after a long day of work. The ravenette had taken out the ruby from a secret compartment in their house, and this he placed in the center of the table. Carrying a tray from the kitchen bearing two bowls of rice, several plates of food, and two bowls of vegetable soup, Mikasa placed this down around the jewel and then sat herself down in the chair. Eren picked up his bowl and chopsticks, then started eating while staring at the gem.

"Why did you take it out? I thought you were going to have Armin sell it?" his sister asked.

"Something is telling me I should listen to what that priestess said, and seek out the other four gems."

Mikasa gave her brother an incredulous look. "I thought you weren't one to believe in such superstitions?"

He chewed on a piece of chicken. "She said something about my past, and that I will need the help of the four banished nobles if I am to restore balance to Japan."

"Do you honestly believe in the ramblings of a priestess of Suzaku?"

"Something is telling me that she's not deceiving me. Think about it, why did I become Tsubasa in the first place?"

She chewed real slowly on a piece of fish. "Because you wanted to do something for the citizens of Japan."

"Exactly. If I can somehow restore peace to Japan, then my mission as Tsubasa is over and we can move away to live in peace. Isn't that what you want?" Eren rested a hand on his sister's arm, giving her a warm smile.

Mikasa pulled up the red scarf to cover the lower half of her face, giving a hesitant nod in response to his question. This was a habit of hers. Whenever the ravenette got the better of her, she'd hide behind the scarf so he couldn't see her expression. This time Eren pulled the scarf down and poked her cheek, causing Mikasa to stick her tongue out at him.

"Let's finish eating," he said with a laugh.

* * *

Levi had just finished taking a bath and was currently preparing to retire for the evening. Things have been quietly lately after Erwin came back to the palace from his mission to the eastern borders. None of their enemies have been able to make it past the border thanks to his friend and the team he led. Levi only joined the battle when things got tough, and his team needed him more than anything. Outwardly he may seem cold, blunt, and unapproachable, but truth was, the man actually cherished and valued each and every one of his members. Their deaths _do _affect him. Even if he never shows it outright.

Rolling into the futon that had been prepared for him by several of his personal attendants -he wouldn't let any others near- Levi crawled in, blew out the candles illuminating the room, then laid his head down on the pillow.

It had been only a mere five minutes when he heard sounds of soft footsteps approaching his room. Immediately icy blue eyes snapped open at the noise, and a hand reached for the katana kept hidden underneath the futon roll. Hearing the sliding doors being pushed to the side and dark figures stealthily creeping into his resting quarters, Levi waited patiently, then rolled out of the way as a sword came plunging down where he would've been.

Unsheathing his sword in one fluid motion as he rolled, the man swiped at the attacker with the weapon and knocked the figure off balance. Quickly getting to his feet before the figure could recover, Levi incapacitated him with a swift blow to the head. Unfortunately the attacker wasn't alone as more of his comrades broke in through the windows and door. Backing against the corner as he kept a hand on the hilt of his sword, Levi made a mental note of how many people were in his room. Two were hovering by the windows, and three more were slowly advancing towards him from the door.

The only exit he had left was the unbroken window he was standing near.

The three figures jumped into the air and raised their swords in the air, swinging the blades downward with overwhelming power. Levi stood his ground, shifted into a defensive stance, and raised his own katana to block the weapons, buckling his knees to throw off some of the weight. Gritting his teeth at the prospect of being skewered by a blade, the man heaved his body upward and sent the three figures flying backwards.

'_Where the hell are the guards?'_ Levi thought as he fought off the attackers.

One of the attackers snuck up on the prince and slashed right as Levi parried another attack from the front. He grunted in pain as the blade tore through his robe, drawing blood from the wound and momentarily allowing another opening for more assaults. Whirling around while switching his grip on the katana, Levi swung upward, mimicking the move Tsubasa had used on him during their very first encounter. The blow sent the figure flying into the wall, where he slumped to the floor, stunned and motionless. Seeing two of their members fall unconscious at the feet of the prince sent the final three into a flurried frenzy. Levi barely had time to dodge the incoming attacks. Soon his body was covered with cuts and lacerations which steadily oozed blood, staining the bamboo mats beneath his feet a bright red. His chest heaved up and down heavily, his short hair matted against his forehead from sweat, and then his vision began to blur.

"Give it up prince of Japan. You can't escape this fate," one of the attackers said through the mask.

Using the last of his strength before he collapsed from his wounds, Levi pulled out a small bottle from his sash, popped the stopper, and then threw out the contents from within. His attackers were hit with a white powder from within, blinding them and he took this chance to leap out the window.

* * *

Knowing he had little time to waste before the three would come after him from his room, the man ran towards the stables and along the way he was met with unconscious bodies of guards littering the floors. So that's why no one had come running to help him. The attackers made sure these men were knocked out before they attacked him in his room, to ensure he wouldn't receive any aid.

His vision began to blur even more.

Rounding the corner and nearly tripping over a body on the ground, Levi regained his balance and bolted for the stables, his katana still clutched within his right hand. He could hear the three pursuers from behind gaining on him, but the stables weren't very far and Levi willed himself to run even faster despite his fatigue.

Throwing the doors to the stables open when he arrived Levi lost no time in dashing for Noir's stall. His mare reared up her head immediately and neighed at her master worriedly, but Levi mounted her without a saddle and urged her out of the stall. She hesitated at first, pawing at the floor with a hoof, but another spur from Levi's sandals sent her galloping out of the stables.

The three attackers all jumped aside to avoid being trampled over by the roan mare as she galloped past them, carrying an injured Levi on her back.

* * *

Once they were far away from the palace and nowhere in sight of the attackers, Levi brought a hand to his mouth and started coughing violently. Noir neighed as she continued running, sensing her master's distressed state and wanted to make sure he was alright. Pressing a hand against the back of her head, he ran a hand down her mane to soothe her fears.

"Eren...go to Eren..." he managed to whisper before passing out.

* * *

Mikasa was in the process of bringing in some water from the well out back, lugging the heavy bucket back inside her house since Eren was taking a bath. She wanted to make sure he had enough hot water, since she had used up all the warm water from earlier. This was how they did things in their house. He would draw water for her bath and she for him. It was their teamwork.

Pulling the bucket back towards their house while trying to make sure nothing spilled, Mikasa suddenly heard the sounds of a horse neighing and placed the bucket down, peering into the forest behind to see what was going on.

A roan mare came pounding into the clearing, scaring the life out of Mikasa as she screamed and dove to the side, knocking down the bucket of water in the process. Her face hit the grassy floor and she could smell the grass as her face was mere inches away from the ground. She turned around and noticed the horse had stopped running and was pawing impatiently at the moist earth.

"Mikasa!"

Eren came bolting out of the house dressed in a grey robe which he had hastily thrown on upon hearing his sister scream.

"Are you alright?" he knelt beside her.

She gave a nod of her head. "Isn't that Levi's horse?"

Jade eyes swiveled over to where the mare was situated and Eren saw it was indeed the mare belonging to Levi. Brushing off the leaves clinging to his robe as he stood up, the ravenette approached the horse and found Levi slumped over on its back.

"Mikasa come help me!" he called, carefully bringing the body down from the horse.

His sister came over and gasped when she saw the state Levi was in. She helped her brother bring the unconscious prince inside their house, then ran outside to take care of the horse, leading it over to their storage room, where hay was kept for when they would purchase a horse in the future.

* * *

Levi was in a bad state.

Physically examining the man over to assess the situation, the ravenette was horrified to see Levi's lips turning purple, which meant he had been poisoned. Taking a limp hand in his own, he felt for a pulse, noticing how weak and fragile it felt under his finger. There were multiple lacerations and cuts marring Levi's body, and some were still bleeding as well. He'll have to take care of staunching the blood first or else the man will die from blood loss.

"How is he?" Mikasa asked as she stood behind her brother.

"Get me some bandages and the usual herbs. We have to stop the bleeding, and then find the ones we use to cure poisons, brew it into a tea for him to drink. I have to suck out whatever I can from one of the wounds," he instructed, ripping apart the bloodied and tattered robe.

His sister disappeared into the back room where the herbs were kept to do what her brother asked. Eren grabbed a bowl from the table -the one that held his soup- and placed it beside him. Making sure Levi wouldn't jerk away from his touch, the ravenette lowered his head, pressed his lips against one of the lacerations, and sucked hard to draw out the poisoned blood.

Having been a doctor for many years he had experience as to how poisoned blood tasted like. The first mouthful hit him hard and Eren pulled away, spitting out the contents into the bowl, then repeated the procedure until his blood tasted clean and metallic. Before doing anything else the ravenette went into the kitchen to rinse his mouth of the foul liquid, lest he get poisoned as well. Mikasa was huddled in one of the corners with a fan in hand, keeping the flames going as a pot brewed on the stove.

"The stuff is on the table," she called without looking up.

Grabbing the bandages and poultices his sister had ground up, Eren headed back out to the main room and sat beside Levi, carefully applying the poultice to strips of bandages before tying them to the wounds. Whoever had done the deed had excellent swordsmanship. Eren was able to tell based on the way the wounds appeared on Levi's body. The wounds on the front of his body were easy enough to deal with, what the ravenette hadn't expected was the huge gash on Levi's back when he flipped the man over. Carefully cleaning the cut with boiled water to wash away the dirt and grime to avoid infections, Eren applied a generous amount of the paste onto a bigger strip of cloth, then tied that on Levi, securing the ends together from the front.

"Eren here."

He turned around and took the bowl of steaming medicinal brew from his sister. Instructing her to grind more herbs for more of the paste, Eren took a sip of the liquid, placed the bowl down, picked up Levi's body into a half sitting position, then pressed his lips against the prince's own, forcing them to open so he could push the medicine into his mouth.

Levi unconsciously coughed against the touch but Eren forced the medicine down.

Mikasa snuck a peek over her shoulder, then quickly looked away as a blush formed on her face.

Eren repeated the process until the bowl was empty.

* * *

_Listen carefully and you may hear it_

_The wind's carrying a calling from the past_

_Move forward_

_It's there the tranquil faith_

_Prayers pass through time and my promises are fulfilled_

_Take a deep breath and the distant spirits will call out_

_Call out..._

Levi's eyes fluttered open as a familiar melody wrapped around his body.

As his vision slowly came into focus the first thing he saw was a girl hovering over him, wiping a cool towel across his forehead slowly. He tried to sit up but the pain from his abdomen told him otherwise.

"You're awake? Thank kami. You've been asleep for three days!" the girl smiled at him. "Eren! Levi is awake," she called.

Yes.

This was Eren's sister.

Which meant he made it to the man's house after all.

This time the female face was replaced by Eren's as the ravenette began checking him over. "Looks like the medicine is finally doing its job," he said, pressing a hand to Levi's forehead.

The prince groaned. "What happened?"

"I should be asking you that question! Your horse nearly ran my sister over in the middle of the night, and then you're on its back, covered in blood and poisoned. We stayed up the whole night tending to your injuries."

He pressed a hand against his forehead. "I..."

Eren gently pushed him back down. "Sleep. The poison still hasn't cleared from your body yet. You can tell us what happened later."

Obeying his words Levi closed his eyes and promptly fell back asleep.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_Hmm...two chapters in one day? I'm on a roll! _

_Does this make you want to read more? -wink wink-_

_See you all in the next one! _

_Shadow Songstress~_


	11. We Must Leave

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**We Must Leave**

For the next few days Levi drifted in and out of consciousness as his body fought off the remnants of the poison, purging the vile substance with help from the medicinal brew fed to him thrice daily. Due to the fact that Levi was still very weak from the attacks, the ravenette had to mouth feed him the medicine the first two days, and only when the prince regained his senses did Eren make him drink on his own. Slowly but surely Levi began to feel much better, and was able to stay up by the fifth day without much trouble, though his wounds were taking longer to heal.

"I'm going to change your bandages so please, do try to stay still and not move," Eren ordered, coming to the bed with supplies in hand.

Levi clenched his jaw in annoyance but complied nonetheless, after all the ravenette and his sister _did _save his life. Sitting himself down on the side of the bed casually, Eren lowered the grey robe from the prince's shoulders, revealing a wrapped torso which caused Levi to grimace. Reaching behind to get at the knots he made earlier, the ravenette leaned in closer against Levi's body, fingers brushing against the bandages as he slowly unwound it from the man's chest.

Once the bandage came off Levi's chest both men glanced down simultaneously, causing their heads to bump against one another. Eren ignored the pain for a while, reaching for a new piece of cloth to spread the poultice on.

"Why did you come here that night? More importantly, why were you covered in wounds and poisoned?" he asked, working away at the thick paste, making sure to spread it evenly without looking up.

"Would you believe me if I told you I was ambushed in the night?" Levi said quietly.

Eren flicked his eyes up briefly and then lowered them back to the bandage. "The great prince of Japan was actually ambushed within the walls of the imperial palace? Someone must want you dead really badly."

"I..."

"You what?"

The man exhaled heavily. He couldn't reveal his status as a kagemusha. Not yet. Not until the real prince was found.

"Nothing."

"In any case I'm surprised you remember where I live. You scared my sister half to death when your horse came pounding into our backyard. Not to mention you owe us for tending to your injuries," Eren spread the paste a bit more forcefully than he should have.

They sat in silence.

"Now don't move," the ravenette leaned forward again and started wrapping the bandage around Levi's torso.

Mikasa came out from the kitchen just as Eren finished tying the bandage. She carried a bowl of medicine in one hand, while precariously balancing a tray full of food in the other. Not wanting his sister to spill their evening meal which she had spent the whole day cooking, the ravenette got up to help her place everything down on the table. Levi swung his legs over the side of the bed and carefully made his way over to where the other two were, making sure not to aggravate his wounds further.

"_Ittadakimasu_," the siblings chimed, then began digging into their food.

Levi eyed the medicinal brew wearily.

"You can drink that after you eat," Eren stated.

"It's so bitter..."

"Bitter medicine is good for you," piped up Mikasa from the right, picking up a piece of cabbage with her chopsticks.

* * *

"What do you mean he _got _away?" roared Ryouga angrily, glaring at the masked assassin.

The trio exchanged identical looks of nervousness. "He got away on his horse. We couldn't catch up with him."

All the daimyos in the room cursed out loud at this piece of news. They were all depending on the assassins to murder the prince in the middle of the night, so they can find an excuse to replace him with one of their own, in order to manipulate the current Emperor and Empress into doing their will. The people of Japan believed their ruler was a descendant from Amaterasu, therefore the royal line must be kept pure and untainted, so it would be hard to stage an overthrow.

An assassination was their only other option.

Now that has failed as well.

"Did you find out where he went?" hissed Koutarou.

"No my lord. It was too dark and his mare was unusually fast. The only thing we can assure you is he has been poisoned, and it is not an easy poison to cure. The antidote needed requires one to find a rare herb, which can cure any known poison, and grows in a very treacherous part of the mountains. No one has ever been able to acquire one. I'd say his chances of survival are next to zero."

"Kagetora, what do you suggest we do?" asked Retsu.

"Send out troops to every village within Kyoto and search for any news of the missing prince. If anyone is withholding information then execute them on the spot. Once you hear word of where Levi is, make sure he does not live to see another day!"

* * *

Eren awoke in the middle of the night to loud pounding against the wooden door of their house. Sticking his head out the back window which gave him a clear view of the front, he was alarmed to find armored guards standing there. Quietly he woke up his sister and then crept into the other room where Levi was currently resting.

"Wake up," he whispered, gently shaking the man.

Sapphire eyes cracked open. "What..."

"There's guards at the door and I don't think it's a rescue party for you. Get out of bed and follow my sister, she'll hide you while I handle them," Eren looked at Mikasa, nodding at her when she beckoned Levi to follow.

Once he was sure the prince was hidden and Mikasa returned, the siblings went to answer the door.

"Have you seen the crown prince of Japan?" a guard demanded the moment the door was opened.

The two blinked. "No. We are merely doctors. Unless we have to pick fresh herbs for our patients, we rarely venture outside our house. It's hard for us to hear news of the prince if we're this secluded."

"Then you wouldn't mind if we searched your house just to makes sure?"

He shrugged. "Go ahead."

Three guards entered their house and promptly began searching every nook and cranny, tossing things aside, rapping loudly on the walls, listening for hollow sounds from the floor, pressing their ears against the bed. Mikasa gripped her brother's hand tightly in his the entire time, but Eren was confident they wouldn't find the hidden room. It could only be accessed with a special key which he alone possessed, unless Mikasa required it, which he would then give to her.

"There's nothing here danchou," one of the guards reported.

'_So he's a_ _captain_?' Eren stared at the blonde captain.

"If you hear any news then please report it to us."

"Of course."

Only when the guards left did Eren breath easier.

"Go bring him back up. We have to leave this place tonight. It's not safe anymore for him, and I'd hate to see anything happen to the crown prince of Japan."

Mikasa nodded. "Don't worry. I put him in the first room. He won't find out you're Tsubasa since you have the key which unlocks the inner one."

He smiled at her." I know. Bring him back up and then help me pack some provisions. Make sure to pack my outfits and bring the katanas up, at least we can have the excuse of self defense for those."

* * *

After bringing Levi back up to the main room from the hidden area of the house, the siblings rushed about the house, frantically packing whatever they could carry in sacks. Eren knew they couldn't bring much valuables with them, but still took out three pouches full of coins, stuffing two of them into the sack and giving the third one to his sister. Next he took out the ruby from a secret compartment, sticking that into the sack as well. If he was going to heed the words of Hono, might as well take the ruby and show it to Mizu.

"What are we going to do about traveling? We can't all fit on Levi's horse," Mikasa said, placing her bag down next to her brother's.

"Don't worry. You can help me get one of the horses from our stable right? Remember its owner passed away and left it to us?"

"You mean Hikari?"

Eren nodded. "I'll ride with Levi in case he can't hold on, you can ride on Hikari."

Mikasa bit her lips, contemplating on the thought for several moments. "Alright."

"Now let's get out of here before the guards come back and decide to harass us again.

* * *

The moon was hanging high in the starless sky that evening as the trio made their hasty escape. Levi was still weak from the ordeal and relied solely on Eren to help him remain upright on the back of Noir. At first the huge mare threw her head back and refused to let anyone aside from her master mount, but after soothing words from Levi, she allowed Eren to take the reigns while her master sat behind the ravenette.

"She's loyal to you," noted Eren as Noir tossed her head.

"I raised her since she was little," came the reply.

Adjusting the sack tied around his back one last time to make sure the ends were tied together correctly, Eren exchanged a look with his sister, and then urged Noir into a gallop.

Wordlessly the trio departed into the darkness of night.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_Yay another update! I deserve a reward haha_

_My friend just told me my harness for my Levi cosplay will be arriving either today or tomorrow! Yay! Can't wait to try it on! _

_See you all in the next chapter!_

_Don't forget to review!_

_ Shadow Songstress~_


	12. The Sapphire Of Seiryuu

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**The Sapphire Of Seiryuu**

They traveled all throughout the night without stopping in case someone was trailing them. Only when they were at least several leagues away from the village did Eren slow Noir to a trot, twisting his body around to make sure Levi was still hanging on. The prince had fallen unconscious during the ride, but his arms remained tightly locked around the ravenette's waist.

"Where are we going now?" Mikasa asked, pulling Hikari to a stop.

"Find a place to lodge for the evening," Eren raised his head towards the light, pointing a finger in that general direction. "I think we're close to the next town or something. We'll find a place to settle and then you can send a carrier pigeon to Armin, let him know what happened in case he tries to look for us back at the house."

Mikasa inclined her head.

* * *

An hour later the trio finally settled into a vacant room in the local inn of the town. Luckily the owners were a rather nice couple who kept their inn running at all hours of the day and night, to accommodate travelers who would venture into their town, looking for a place to stay. Paying in advance for at least a month's worth of rent -the owners allowed them to do so- Eren carried Levi over to the bed and placed him down in it. Mikasa had gone ahead to send a carrier pigeon to their blonde friend, and also to see if she could find a local herb store as well.

Levi coughed on the bed.

Pouring out a cup of tea from the set on the table, the ravenette brought it over and had Levi sit up, then pressed the china against cracked lips. Levi eagerly drank the liquid, choking on a sip in his haste to swallow it down.

"Take it easy," Eren said.

"Where are we?" Levi groaned as he was laid back down.

Eren looked out the window. "We're in another village to the East of the Imperial Palace. If luck is on our side then no one will know that you're here for now."

The door to their room opened and his sister walked in with a solemn expression. She exchanged a quick look with her brother and then went over to sit by the bed. Now that Levi was under their care and recuperating, the siblings couldn't afford to let anything happen to him. However it also meant Eren had to be extra careful around the prince, in case he should discover that the ravenette was really Tsubasa.

"I'm going to find the Sapphire," he murmured in Mikasa's ear.

She widened her eyes. "Are you mad? What if Levi finds out?" she whispered, gripping his arm.

"He'll be bedridden for at least another three days. Besides it doesn't take me three days to find a jewel now does it? I'll be back before dawn. Come help me put the stuff on, and make sure Levi doesn't know where I am. If he asks then just make up an excuse."

Wordlessly Mikasa helped her brother get ready, while praying he wouldn't get caught or exposed.

* * *

It seems the eastern village guarded by Seiryuu was really better off than the home he fled. The houses were in better conditions, there weren't any children in the streets, and the imperial forces seemed content to staying at their posts. Eren jumped silently from roof to roof, carefully surveying the area to assess the situation, but after passing through five streets without any incidents, he concluded this village was in a better position than the others. However he knew the villagers here had knowledge of Tsubasa. There may not be any incidents, but there are still those in need of assistance.

Jade eyes scoured the area slowly until they rested upon a particular house located in the center of the village. It was the color of a deep blue, with the unmistakable sign of the Azure Dragon marking its roof. Eren had to be blind to miss the giant statue of Seiryuu curled around the roof, with its head pointing skyward, and a pearl clutched in one of its claws.

Landing gracefully on his feet in front of the building and making sure he wasn't being followed, the ravenette pushed open the doors and stepped inside.

Like the House of Suzaku within the imperial palace, this building was constructed in the same format. Candles were the only source of light, the flames dancing gently like little bodies. A regal statue of the Azure Dragon sat upon an altar constructed of wood. It's eyes were fierce, its mouth opened to reveal sharp teeth coupled by a pink tongue, its body coiled round like a snake with two claws visible, almost like it was ready to leap into action at any moment. Eren stared at the statue briefly before looking down at the base of the statue.

Resting upon a lotus pad was a brilliant sapphire.

"I see you have made it here without trouble Tsubasa," a voice behind him said.

Eren jumped in shock and a hand flashed to his sword.

"Do not be afraid. Hono has told me of your impeding arrival to my temple," the voice continued. A female figure stepped out from the shadows, clad in a rich robe of blue. Her hair was also the same color as those of Seiryuu's scales, but unlike Hono, this priestess radiated with authority and power.

"Who are you?" demanded Eren.

"I am Mizu, the High Priestess of Seiryuu. I have been waiting for your arrival so that I can guide you on your next step."

The ravenette shook his head vehemently. "I do not believe in this quest you speak of."

"Is that so? Then why have you come here this evening?"

"I came here to steal the sapphire."

Her aquamarine eyes seem to bore into his very soul. "Is that the truth? Do not deny it any further Tsubasa. You can feel it in your blood. You're destined to restore our country to glory and prosperity, but you _must _stop fighting against it."

"Why do you all want me to restore Japan to its former glory? I'm just a simple doctor who wants to live in peace!"

Mizu raised her hand in the air. "It appears you still do not know who you really are."

Now the ravenette was getting annoyed. "Stop speaking in riddles! Why do you all say I don't know who I am? I'm Tsubasa!"

"You are not simply a doctor. Your path cannot be revealed until you discover your _true _identity."

"Then _tell _me who I really am! You're a High Priestess of one of the four guardian deities are you not? Surely you know who I really am!" cried an exasperated Eren.

"We cannot reveal the secrets of heaven," Mizu turned away from the ravenette, resting a delicate hand upon a stone pillar. "Take the sapphire with you Tsubasa. Your next destination lies to the North, the village protected by Genbu, the Black Tortoise. There you need to seek out Daichi, the High Priest of Genbu. He will tell you what to do next."

Just like Hono back at the House of Suzaku, Mizu seemingly vanished into thin air before Eren's very eyes.

He stood there, unmoving, his hand still wrapped around his sword. Then slowly he removed his hand and took the sapphire, slipping quietly out the door.

"I've fulfilled my part like I said Suzaku. Now the rest is up to Genbu and Byakko. I only pray that Tsubasa will discover his real identity before he reaches the West. Once he obtains all four jewels that belong to us, he will be tested like never before until he finds the four tribes who are descended from us," Mizu said as she reappeared.

Then in a brilliant flash of blue, the High Priestess transformed into Seiryuu, giving off a mighty roar as she took to the skies.

* * *

-Northern Village, House of Genbu-

Daichi lifted his head towards the sky just as a streak of blue light blazed across the night. He knew the light could only mean one thing. Seiryuu had done her part and soon Tsubasa will come find him to retrieve the Emerald, which has been kept at the House of Genbu for many years since the banishment of his descendant from the imperial court.

The citizens, especially the royal family and those at court, do not know of the true origins behind the four members who faithfully serve the Emperor and Empress. The four tribes were all blessed specifically by one of the four guardian deities. They possessed enormous power and command of four very powerful militaries, which could help turn the tide of a war in any battle. Those old fools calling themselves daimyos have no idea whom they are messing with. By banishing their four descendants, those old geezers have inadvertently angered the four deities.

Unlike the other three, Daichi was not one to forgive easily.

"Seiryuu has done her part," Byakko said as she materialized behind her fellow deity.

Genbu inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Suzaku and Seiryuu have performed their tasks. Now the rest is up to you and I."

The White Tiger deity seated herself on the wooden altar of Genbu. "How long before Tsubasa figures out his real identity as the true Crown Prince of Japan?"

"Remember we cannot reveal the secrets of heaven. Tsubasa must conclude that on his own. We can only aid and guide him in his quest to restore peace to Japan."

Byakko waved a hand in the air. "As requested by Suzaku, I have sent my descendant to where Tsubasa is currently residing. He will be able to guide them once the four jewels have been reunited."

"You sent Shirogane to Tsubasa? Are you sure that is a wise thing to do?" asked Genbu, arching an eyebrow at the goddess.

"It's time the people of Japan are reminded who they are. Our land was once revered for being shrouded in mysticism, spirits, yomas, mythology and folkore. Did you forget why our jewels are so sacred to the four tribes of Water, Fire, Earth, and Wind?"

He snorted. "Of course not. They amplify the powers of the current chiefs. The jewels have long been rumored to possess supernatural powers which grants its owner the ability to control the elements. Of course no one outside of the four tribes know that this is anything _but _a rumor. If word got out then there would be chaos and turmoil over possession of the jewels, therefore the secrets behind it are kept in the dark unless it is for our descendants."

"Yes. Shirogane will be able to guide Tsubasa, until he locates the others."

"Unfortunately the current chief of my Earth tribe is about to join his ancestors in the stars, and the real successor has not been found yet. I am afraid my tribe will fall apart before the other two can be found."

A hand rested comfortingly on the shoulder of Genbu. "Do not lose faith. I know your successor is alive and out there. I can feel it amongst the stars. Trust that he will reveal himself in time."

"You always seem to be the optimistic one," Genbu softened his expression, covering his friend's hand with his own.

"Is it not our duty to be optimistic? What fun would being deities be if we were constantly so serious?" Byakko chuckled and then transformed into her true form, padding out of the room as the wind picked up.

"If only I had your optimism Byakko..."

* * *

A figure leapt deftly from tree to tree using the branches to propel himself forward. He was clad in a white outfit consisting of a pair of pants, and a white vest top with long sleeves, with bandages wrapped around his forearms and hands. Tied around his head was a silk ribbon, the ends trailing in the air behind him. On his feet were sturdy boots laced halfway up his calves. Embroidered on his shirt was the emblem of Byakko, the regal White Tiger who guards the West.

His name is Shirogane.

The current chief of the Wind Tribe, and one of the four banished members of the imperial court.

As a descendant of the tribe protected by Byakko, he had power over wind, which he was currently using to aid in his endeavors.

His mission was to find the one who calls himself Tsubasa, and help him on his quest to locate the other three members to restore peace to Japan.

"Nii-san!"

Shirogane paused on one of the branches, turning around to find someone had followed him. "Kurogane! What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised when his little brother landed in front of him.

"Take me with you!"

"No can do kiddo. This mission isn't for you," Shirogane ruffled his brother's hair.

"No fair! I want to help!"

Bending down so that they were seeing eye to eye, the chief of the Wind Tribe smiled at his younger sibling. "I need you to watch after the tribe until I return okay?"

Brown eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? I can help Kaoru obaa-sama in looking after the village?"

"Yes. Now go back before you're caught outside the boundaries of our tribe. I promise I'll return alright?"

"Promise me you'll show me who Tsubasa is!"

He laughed. "Alright you little monster. Now hurry up and go back."

The moment his little brother was gone from his sight, Shirogane picked up the pace to make up for lost time. According to what Byakko said in a dream he had the previous night, Tsubasa can be found in the eastern village guarded by Seiryuu. It would take at least another couple of hours at his current pace to reach the village. Once he got there he was to remain by the man's side, until the other three chiefs were brought together. Only then can they restore the peace to Japan.

'_Tsubasa is the true heir to the throne of Japan, however you cannot tell him this. He must discover the truth on his own. Your only job is to protect and aid him, until the other three are found. Only then can the four of you be properly restored to your places in the imperial court._'

"I just hope you know what you're doing Byakko..."

The wind caressed his face gently, almost like Byakko was answering his question playfully, telling him that he had nothing to worry about. Closing his eyes as the breezed wrapped around his body, ruffling his white hair, Shirogane followed the current as it led him out of the forest.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_I have a question for you all._

_Do you like the way the story is currently going in? Or would you have preferred if I just wrote about Eren stealing treasure and Levi trying to stop him? I feel like this story will begin to lose appeal to my readers because of the current direction it's heading in. Please tell me your thoughts! _

_Shirogane will be formally introduced in the next chapter!_

_Also I left a hint in the conversation between Byakko and Genbu about the missing chief to the Earth Tribe. If anyone can guess who it is, I'll create a character especially for him/her. Only one will win though. That winner will have the next chief created just for them! _

_I'll put up the bio for Shirogane below so you can get a feel for who he is!_

_Seriously though, do you all like the way this story is going? With the additions of OCs and them having powers and such? Keep in mind I did mention in a previous note that the people of Ancient Japan believed in things like this! _

_See you all in 13!_

_Shadow Songstress~_

**Name****: Shirogane**

**Age: 20  
**

**Position: Leader of the Wind Tribe  
**

**Element: Wind**

**Height: 5'11**

**Hair Color****: White**

**Eye Color****: Silver****  
**

**Family: Kazuya (father, deceased, previous chief of the Wind Tribe), Murasaki (mother, deceased), Kurogane (younger brother), Kaoru (grandmother, matriarch of the Wind Tribe) **

**Background: Shirogane is the current chief of the Wind Tribe, which is protected by the White Tiger Byakko. As a descendant of this line, he has the power to control wind, and uses this to his advantage on the battlefield. His nickname is the Silver Cyclone, due to his ability to generate powerful storms to surround his body, preventing anyone or anything from getting close. After he was banished by the daimyos of the imperial court, he returned back home and waited for orders from Byakko. Now he seeks to find Tsubasa and aid him on his quest to restore peace to Japan. **


	13. Shirogane, The Wind Tribe Chief I

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Shirogane, The Wind Tribe Chief I**

Eren made his way back to the inn just in time because Levi woke up half an hour later, and the first thing the ravenette did was thrust another bowl of medicine into the man's hands. Thankfully Mikasa was extremely helpful and managed to get all the armor and black clothing off, stashing it away in the blue sack before Levi could get a glimpse of it. While Levi was drinking the medicine with his sister blocking the view, Eren quickly hid the sapphire with the ruby, failing to notice how the gems seemed to glow brighter when put next to one another.

"Feeling better?" Eren asked, sitting down next to the man.

"Yea. All that sleeping helped," Levi winced as his hand twisted slightly.

Taking his hand to examine the cut properly to see if it was healing, Eren pulled off the bandages to find the wound was healing at a steady pace. Fingers ghosted lightly over rough skin, gently tracing the line up Levi's arm. He heard a slight gasp come from the man, and released the limb to lean in closer against Levi.

"Your wounds are healing nicely."

Making to pull off the bandages around Levi's chest to see if that was healing -since it was the worst injury- Eren was about to reach around the man's chest when Levi stopped him. What happened next completely caught the ravenette off guard as soft lips were pressed against his own, and Eren could taste a hint of bitterness from the medicine. He pulled back in shock, jade eyes enlarging as he stared at the man on the bed.

"W-What was that for?" he sputtered, blushing a furious shade of scarlet.

"You saved my life twice."

"That doesn't warrant a kiss!"

Levi smirked. "You should feel honored you received a kiss from the Prince of Japan," he said haughtily.

"That was my first kiss you asshole!" cried Eren indignantly.

"Your point?"

The ravenette fought really hard to prevent himself from strangling the man. "I regret saving your life."

"You enjoyed the kiss."

Eren refrained from really throttling Levi.

* * *

When morning came the next day Eren and Mikasa were the first ones out the door of the inn. They wanted to take a look around and see what local herbs are available. The poison was almost completely purged from Levi's body and it would take another few days of more medicine to restore his inner organs to their proper functions. They also wanted to take the chance to seek out the village and see what the situation was.

"People here certainly seem better off than our home," Mikasa murmured, noticing how the children were decently dressed.

"The guards keep to themselves as well. I didn't have any trouble last night while dressed as Tsubasa."

"I hope this town remains this way."

Stopping at the nearest medicine store the duo bought some of the basic herbs, ones that were used to help disinfect cuts, clean wounds, and cure poisons. Eren realized the poison Levi suffered from was a rare and extremely toxic one, made from the dried bodies of the seven deadliest poisonous creatures to have ever existed. Thankfully the only known herb that can cure _any _poison was in their possession after a grateful merchant gave it to them one day in exchange for helping him cure his ill daughter. They had saved the herb, which was named after a mountain in China, knowing it would come in handy in the future.

"With this we should be set," Mikasa said as they departed the store.

"I hope Levi didn't run off while we were away," joked Eren.

"He's in no condition to be running around. Besides it'll only aggravate his injuries if he tried," replied his sister with a slight smirk.

* * *

When they returned to the inn the first thing Eren noticed was a stranger sitting at one of the tables. Unlike the residents of the local village, this man had white hair and silver eyes. He also wore unfamiliar clothing and the ravenette thought he saw images of Byakko embroidered on the front. Nudging his sister in the ribs to get her attention, the ravenette casually tilted his head in the man's direction.

"Strange...I've never seen someone with hair as white as his," noted Mikasa.

"Let's take a seat and order some food," Eren purposefully sat himself a table away from the mysterious stranger.

One of the inn workers came over and poured out two cups of tea. "What would you like to eat?" he asked.

"Bring us some of your little dishes," replied the ravenette.

"Right away sir."

Once the server was out of the way to place their orders, Eren picked up the cup and took a sip of jasmine tea. Keeping his eyes fixated on the mysterious stranger in the back, the ravenette observed his movements carefully like one would on a battlefield. He watched as the stranger beckoned the inn keeper over to the table, and strained to hear their conversation.

"My good man, have you heard of a man called Tsubasa?"

Eren locked eyes with Mikasa as the siblings overheard the conversation.

"Tsubasa? Yes of course I have. I owe this inn to our savior."

"Do you know where I can find him?"

At this the inn keeper let out an amused chortle. "My dear guest you must not be from around here. Tsubasa only shows up at night to deliver money to the poor like us. No one has ever seen his face, and those who do cannot recognize his features for a mask covers his face. We don't know where or how to even locate Tsubasa."

The stranger frowned deeply. "This cannot do..."

"If you don't mind me asking, can I know why you want to find Tsubasa?"

"No. I was just wondering if I could meet the one who defends the poor is all."

Somehow Eren had a feeling that wasn't the real truth behind the reason to wanting to find him. Naturally thanks to the precautions he took every time he went on a heist, the ravenette was confident no one would recognize him.

"Judging from your clothing I assume you are not from around here are you?" continued the inn keeper.

"I see you are a sharp one. I am not from here. My name is Shirogane," introduced the stranger.

'_Shirogane? What kind of name is that?_' thought Eren as he took another sip of tea.

The inn keeper was then distracted by a couple at the front desk looking for a place to lodge. As soon as the inn keeper moved out of the way to help the couple, Eren blinked and found Shirogane sitting right in front of him and his sister. Mikasa wanted to lurch forward but Eren grabbed her hand under the table, squeezing it to calm her down.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop on other's conversations," the man said.

"What are you talking about?" replied Eren calmly.

Shirogane tilted his head to the side, almost like he was studying the ravenette, and then a grin broke out on his face. "You're no ordinary citizen are you? I can sense a mysterious aura about you that draws me in. Are you Tsubasa perhaps?"

If it weren't for Eren's fast reflexes he would've dropped the tea cup, giving away his real identity to the man.

"Of course not. What makes you think I'm Tsubasa?" he replied, keeping his voice steady.

"I'm just playing with you. Name's Shirogane, who might you be?"

"Eren. I'm just a traveling doctor."

"And the lovely lady to your right is?"

Mikasa glared at the white-haired man darkly. "Mikasa."

"She's my sister."

"Strange...you two don't look like siblings..."

"My mother adopted her when she was little," lied the ravenette.

The man leaned back against the chair. "Interesting. Well then it was nice meeting you Eren. I'll be staying here for several days so please, feel free to drop by and chat with me. I'd love to know more about this part of town."

"Don't count on it," muttered Eren darkly.

The siblings glared at Shirogane as the man walked away from their table.

* * *

_To be continued...  
_

_Review? _

_I know some of you don't like the fact that I've added OCs or the mystical aspects of this story, but I felt it was necessary in order to propel the story forward and to make it more interesting to read. I'll be sticking with this story, and I will continue writing it in this direction so please, stay with me until the very end!_

_On another note the harness for my Levi cosplay came in! I'll be picking it up tomorrow from my friend XD I can't wait to try it on! _

_See you all in the next chapter! _

_Shadow Songstress~_


	14. Shirogane, The Wind Tribe Chief II

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Shirogane, The Wind Tribe Chief II**

Levi was resting in the room by himself since Eren and Mikasa weren't back from their trip to the center of town. With nothing else better to do since he was confined to the bed for at least three more days -according to Mikasa anyways- Levi took this chance to start thinking about his life. Everything he's done so far, everything he worked for, was all in the name of finding the true prince. Levi wasn't afraid of giving up his life in the process of doing so, he resigned himself to that fate when he agreed to become a kagemusha. What truly frightens him the most was being alone and unwanted for the rest of his life. For what purpose will he serve after the true prince has been found? Sure the Emperor and Empress have agreed to release him from servitude as a kagemusha, but Levi was afraid. Afraid that he wouldn't know where to go or what to do. He spent his entire life living in the imperial palace, pretending to be the heir to the throne, what would happen if the true prince threw him out into the streets?

What would he do then?

Suddenly the familiar melody of the tune he always played drifted down the corridor, and his eyes widened in shock. Getting out of bed to head for the door, Levi stuck his head out just as the song faded.

There was no one there.

"Was it my imagination?..." he murmured, pulling his head back inside.

Several minutes later Mikasa and Eren appeared with packages in their arms, the latter was also balancing a tray in one hand.

"Are you hungry? We asked the inn keeper to make some food for you," he said, placing the tray down on the table.

A loud rumble from Levi's stomach confirmed Eren's thoughts.

Mikasa couldn't help but chuckle. "I'll go make some more medicine. This is your last one Levi, you'll be fine after it."

"Thank you."

Eren and his sister gasped simultaneously at this, prompting the prince to arch an eyebrow in question. "What?"

"Levi just thanked you? Mount Fuji must have exploded Mikasa," joked the ravenette.

Grabbing the nearest object at hand -which happened to be a pillow- Levi threw it at Eren's head but the ravenette ducked, watching as it soared harmlessly above him, bouncing off the wall and landing on the floor.

"I may be a prince but I do have manners!" retorted Levi, crossing his arms.

"Just eat before the food gets cold."

* * *

Shirogane threw himself on the bed in the room he was given for several days, staring at the white ceiling with arms crossed behind his head. Something about the encounter with the man from earlier was bothering him. What was his name? Erika? Eri? Eren? Yes it was Eren. There was something strange about Eren. An aura of mysteriousness surrounded him.

"There must be something more to you that meets the eye Eren..." Shirogane twirled a feather in his hand.

A breeze blew in through the open window to ruffle his clothing and hair.

"Perhaps tonight it's best to keep an eye out for encounters," he murmured, flipping off the bed and literally flying out the window.

* * *

"Staring at it won't make the medicine disappear," scolded Eren as he watched Levi glare at the bowl before him.

"It's bitter."

"And?"

"I don't want to drink it."

Eren rolled his eyes. "You want to get better don't you? Then please do me a favor and drink it before I have to force feed you like I did last time."

Levi glowered darkly at Eren. "What do you mean force feed? Elaborate."

"It's exactly as it sounds. You couldn't drink anything so I had to force feed you through mouth to mouth."

"So who stole whose first kiss now?" Levi replied, smirking at the ravenette.

"Urusai," muttered Eren.

Mikasa laid down a bunch of sweets before the prince. "Drink it and then have some. It'll help with the bitterness," she said softly.

With two pairs of glowering eyes locked in his general direction Levi had no other choice but to pick up the bowl and drink. The first few sips he sputtered and coughed, tasting the bitterness upon his tongue despite having drank quite a few of them previously. Eren whacked him hard on the back to stop the coughing, and Levi nearly spit up the medicine in his face.

"Was that necessary?" he hissed, lowering the bowl and glaring at Eren.

Said ravenette smirked at his sister. "Yes."

Just then there came a knock on the door.

* * *

Shirogane stood there when the doors were opened by Mikasa, who wasn't expecting him to stand there and gave a sharp yell when he flashed her a grin. Eren was immediately by her side, clamping down on the white-haired male's arm, fingers pressed against a pulse. Shirogane widened his eyes and twisted his arm, but the ravenette kept a firm grip, refusing to let go, only further proving the suspicion inside the Wind Tribe Chief's head.

"Can I help you?" inquired Eren with a raised eyebrow.

"Take a walk with me?"

Mikasa gripped her brother's arm, signaling she doesn't trust this new stranger who was clearly stalking them.

"Very well. Mikasa, keep an eye on him for me."

She sighed heavily. "Fine. Just make sure you come back before nightfall."

"Don't worry lady, I'll have him back in one piece for you," joked Shirogane.

Mikasa threw him another dirty look and would've had him in a headlock if Eren hadn't shook his head at her. If they blew their cover by letting everyone knew they were trained in martial arts, then that wouldn't be a good thing since they're trying to keep a low profile.

* * *

The two men walked down the streets of the village they were currently staying in. Eren couldn't fathom why Shirogane would want to drag him out like this, unless the man was still insistent on saying he was Tsubasa. Naturally the ravenette would deny this the moment the man said it, but how long could he possibly keep up his charade before his cover is finally blown?

"So why did you call me out here? I doubt it's just a leisurely walk as you put it."

Shirogane laughed. "You're a sharp one."

"Is there something you wanted to ask?"

"I won't hide it from you any longer. You're not an ordinary doctor are you? I felt something about you the moment we locked eyes. Like I said before, I'm Shirogane and my real identity is the Chief of the Wind Tribe, one of the four tribes loyal to the royal family of Japan, and one of the banished members of the court."

'_So I _was _right._'

Eren blinked.

"You're telling me this because?"

"Because the wind wouldn't have led me to you unless you're..." Shirogane broke off and scanned their surroundings. "Unless you're Tsubasa," he finished in a low voice.

Jade eyes locked onto silver ones and narrowed. "Who exactly are you?"

"Are you Tsubasa?"

The ravenette contemplated on telling the man the real truth, but then decided against it. Who knew what could happen if he revealed he was the masked thief that the government wanted? It was best to play it safe for now.

"I'm sorry but I am not this Tsubasa you seek," he said before walking off.

Shirogane watched the ravenette.

"I know you're him. I'll prove it one way or another," Shirogane said, feeling the breeze rustling around him.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_Sorry guys!  
_

_I've been busy lately!_

_The harness for my Levi cosplay arrived! XD it's so freaking awesome to put on! _

_I'll try to update tomorrow if I can, but no promises since I have midterms coming up and I need to study!_

_Hope you all still love this story and will stay with me until Tsubasa and Falling For You are finished!_

_See you next chapter!_

_Shadow Songstress~_


	15. Ambush In The Forest

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Ambush In The Forest**

"We're leaving in the morning," announced Eren over dinner that evening.

Both Levi and Mikasa glanced up from their bowls of rice.

"Why so sudden?" she asked, knowing it wasn't like Eren to be so keen on leaving a new village.

"Because that white-haired creep is starting to freak me out," replied her brother.

Levi snorted from his position at the table. "You scared away a bunch of thugs but you're afraid of that white-haired man? Here I was thinking you weren't a brat, but looks like I'll have to take it back after all."

Jade eyes lifted upward in amusement. "This _brat _saved your ass _twice _already _and _cured your body of the poison that was raging within. You owe your life to this brat," he answered smugly.

The prince scowled at this.

"That's what I thought."

"Don't make me chuck something at your head. This time I promise I won't miss," threatened Levi, narrowing blue eyes in annoyance.

"Oh yea? Bring it," challenged Eren.

Mikasa sighed and shook her head at their antics, wondering how they could still have time for horsing around. She was the only one who knew Eren's body language and judging from the way his fingers were twitching, she deduced he must want to get the other two gems as soon as possible so they could distribute the money from selling them.

While the two men continued to bicker over the dinner table, she went back to eating the grains of pearly white rice.

* * *

A breeze ruffled hair and clothing as Shirogane stood atop the roof of the inn, with eyes closed and head tilted backwards slightly towards the starry sky. This was the first time he was ever out of the tribe like this, just as a regular citizen, and not as a -banished- member of the imperial court. Honestly he preferred it this way. At least there was no one to order him around, nor give him the stank eye when they thought he wasn't looking. Shirogane couldn't fathom how the other three could stand it. He was always the restless one, since like the wind, he never stopped moving.

"Well then...let's see what our doctor is up to," he murmured, raising both hands above his waist.

The wind picked up even more and blew around his ear, whistling and murmuring things only he could understand. When the breeze died down after several minutes, Shirogane opened his eyes and a smile began to form on his face.

"So he plans to leave the city in the morning eh? Guess I'll have to follow and see for myself if he is Tsubasa. As much as the man tries to deny it, he must be Tsubasa or else you wouldn't have lead me here, would you?" he held a hand out, watching as the wind caressed his fingers playfully.

* * *

When morning dawned on the inn the following day Eren was the first one up. Mikasa soon followed since they were used to waking early in the past in order to gather herbs from the mountains. Not wanting to wake a still slumbering Levi, the two siblings quietly slipped out of their rented room and headed downstairs to check on their horses.

Noir tossed her head when she spotted Eren walking towards her, moving restlessly until he produced a cube of sugar, feeding it to the mare while rubbing her muzzle and telling her that Levi was safe and wasn't in danger any longer. Only after that did she allow the ravenette to place a saddle and reigns over her. A few stalls down Mikasa was tending to Hikari, brushing out her fur with a curry comb and rubbing her head.

"Where are we heading for next?" she called.

"North. I'm getting the Emerald of Genbu next."

"Are you going to sell the jewels after you get them?"

Eren bit his lips. "I don't know. Maybe I'll hold onto them for a while before selling."

Mikasa poked her head out the stall. "That's not like you Eren. Are you sure nothing is bothering you?"

Rubbing Noir on the head several times while she flicked her ears in response, the ravenette deliberated on the truth. "Something is telling me I shouldn't sell these."

"You're not still going on with the whole saving Japan nonsense are you?"

Silence.

Stepping out of the stall to where her brother was, Mikasa found Eren staring at a pile of hay, with his back turned to her. Locking her arms around his waist from behind, she laid her head on his shoulder and hugged him tightly.

"I support you if that's what you're planning to do," she said.

"Do you really?" he asked.

"You're the only family I have left Eren. I swore that day I'll follow you no matter where you go. If you're suicidal enough to attempt to save all of Japan because of some crazy priestess, then I'll be damned if I don't help you in your quest."

He turned around and embraced her. "You're the best Mikasa."

"I know," she answered with a smile.

* * *

Levi was once more in control of Noir after they departed from the inn. He had woken up to a rather empty room and was starting to get annoyed when Eren and Mikasa walked back in, apparently carrying provisions for their journey to the northern village. The former also managed to acquire another horse for their trip, meaning Levi wouldn't have to share his mare with Eren again.

"Why are we heading for the norther village?" he questioned as they neared a thick forest.

"Because there's something I need to do there for an old friend," came the instant reply from Eren.

As suspicious as he was about the errand needed to be performed, Levi decided not to say anything since he was wanted dead by someone. Making a mental note to check up on who those assassins were, he began to think about those still left at the palace, wondering where their prince must have gone off to. He knew Erwin would tear the country asunder in order to find him, and Petra wouldn't rest until her prince was safe inside the palace once again. How would they react when they realize their "prince" was deceiving them the entire time?

"Did you hear that?" Mikasa asked, raising her head in alarm.

The trio pulled their horses to a stop and listened carefully.

An arrow suddenly lodged itself a mere feet away from where Levi's horse stood. Noir, startled by this, reared up on her hind legs and gave off a loud neigh, indicating she was upset and afraid. Calming her down by rubbing her head and whispering words to her, Levi turned his attention to the siblings and they immediately sprang into action.

"Into the forest!" ordered Eren, kicking his horse into a gallop.

More arrows flew at them from the trees as the trio raced into the thick forest. Eren knew they would be at a disadvantage with the towering trees providing a line of sight for their attackers, but at least it would be harder to target them than in a clearing. The three horses ran at the same pace, galloping alongside one another as arrows continued flying past their heads.

"Who the hell is shooting at us?" Mikasa cried, ducking as an arrow barely grazed her head.

Reaching behind him for the wrapped katanas strapped across his back, Eren pulled out the weapons and untied the strings using his teeth. Not caring as the cloths fell away behind them, the ravenette tossed one to his sister and the other to Levi, while unsheathing the third for himself. Thankfully the prince didn't say anything, having understood what the blade was meant to do, and unsheathed it almost immediately, allowing sun to glint off the steel blade. One by one the trio used the weapons to knock away arrows that flew dangerously close to their heads.

"Look out!"

Figures dropped down from the trees right in the clearing before they exited the forest, spooking the horses as they all neighed and reared up on their hind legs. Eren kept a steady grip on his horse to prevent himself from falling off, and was glad to see Mikasa and Levi also managed to hold their positions. The figures were all dressed in black, mirroring the outfits of ninjas and all had their own blades drawn.

"We have no business with you two. Leave if you want to live," one of them stated, pointing his blade at the siblings.

Eren scoffed as he tightened his hold on the reins. "You made it our business when you decided to start shooting arrows at us!" he retorted.

"Our orders do not include killing travelers. We have come for the prince of Japan only. This is your last warning. Leave here if you want to keep your lives."

"Enough talk," Eren dismounted and sent his horse running into the forest with a pat to the bum.

Mikasa and Levi did the same.

"You leave us no choice," the first figure said.

The two groups circled one another like wolves would upon finding their territory in danger. Back to back the trio stood with swords pointed and eyes ever vigilant. As long as they remained like this then it would be hard to attack them from behind.

One of the assassins lunged forward with blinding speed but Eren managed to parry the blow, throwing his hand upward to deflect the sword, causing it to fly out of the figure's hand. Levi widened his eyes in surprise. Not in his wildest dreams could he imagine a simple doctor like the ravenette to have skills of a martial artist. Someone must have taught him how to fight. Sapphire eyes flicked over to Mikasa and observed she was also engaged in combat, her movements graceful and lithe, like a deadly dance was being performed.

These two weren't ordinary doctors.

"Keep your eyes on your enemy," someone suddenly hissed.

He was nearly knocked to the ground with a powerful kick to the chest but Levi held his footing, recovering swiftly from the blow and slamming the end of the katana into the assassin's chin, sending the man flying upward. Kicking off from the floor with a powerful jump, Levi slashed downward with the blade, easily cleaving the body in two, drenching himself in blood during the process. Scowling at the fact that he was dirty and covered in blood nonetheless, he pushed the thought of taking a bath out of his mind and focused on the next wave of attackers.

* * *

It soon became apparent to Eren that these assassins meant business when it came to targeting Levi. Even with his training and years of experience as Tsubasa, the ravenette found it hard to take on five people at once. Mikasa was in no shape to help him since she was busy dealing with her own group of black-clad assassins. Eren could only pray that Levi was holding off on his own, until he could repel these men and rush over to wherever the hell Levi was.

"For someone who is a traveler, you sure fight too good," noted the person he was currently battling.

"There's more to me that meets the eye," replied Eren, switching to a backward stance and swinging upward.

Caught off guard by the sudden change in holding the assassin stumbled back and Eren used this chance to impale the man through his sword. Quickly pulling out the blade to block four others that were attempting to cleave him in two, the ravenette grunted when he was forced on his knees. Immobile and struggling under the weight of the blades, he failed to notice an arrow flying his way, and only cried out in pain when the arrowhead embedded itself into his right shoulder.

"Eren!" he heard his sister cry his name.

'_Damn. __We'll never make it out of here at this rate,_' thought Eren as his vision began to blur.

A sudden burst of wind from nowhere knocked the four men flat on their backs. Disoriented due to blood loss from the bleeding arrow wound, Eren shakily stood up and looked around in bewilderment. A shadow leapt forth from the trees and landed right in front of him. It took him several minutes to recognize who the mysterious figure was.

"Shirogane?" he murmured, falling to the ground and using his sword to support himself.

"Turns out it was a good thing I decided to follow you huh?" grinned the man.

"Be careful!"

Shirogane whirled around just as one of the men attempted to slash at him with a blade. A barrier of wind formed in front of the white-haired chief, preventing the blade from reaching him as the assassin looked on in shock. Holding his hand out, palm facing outward, Shirogane easily sent the man flying back into a tree, watching as the body crumpled to the floor.

"What was that..." Eren breathed, wincing when his shoulder was jostled.

"Watch this," Shirogane said and then disappeared.

Ten minutes later the bodies of at least 50 assassins fell to the floor, lifeless and completely still, while Shirogane reappeared beside the ravenette bearing an expression of haughtiness. Covered in wounds and blood Mikasa made her way over to her brother, cursing out loud when she spotted the arrow still protruding from his back. Levi also came over but he was in a better shape than the siblings, for he was able to repel many of the blows.

"Hold still Eren," Mikasa said, gripping a hand around the arrow shaft.

"Be swift or the head will become lodged in my shoulder," instructed Eren.

She nodded and pulled deftly and quickly, withdrawing the arrow from his shoulder just as the ravenette grunted in pain. Tossing the projectile aside Mikasa ripped off a piece of her robe, using it to fashion a make-shift bandage for her brother until they could properly clean it at the next location.

"I guess I owe you one," Eren said to Shirogane.

"What? That I easily took out 50 assassins for you like it was nothing? Nah. Don't worry about it. More importantly why were they chasing you to begin with?"

Eren looked over to Levi, who was still standing there with blood all over his body and blade. Shirogane followed his gaze and stepped over to where he stood, stopping just as icy blue eyes locked onto his silver ones.

"They were chasing Levi because he's the Prince of Japan," Eren said carefully.

Shirogane widened his eyes. "_You're _the Prince? Forgive me for my rudeness. I am Shirogane, one of the banished members of the imperial court."

"I've heard about you from mother and father. You have my thanks for saving my life," Levi waved a hand. "When this whole ordeal is over I swear I will restore ou to your rightful position on the council."

"I did not do this to restore my position. However knowing that the Prince of Japan is here, I must be more careful in the future or the Emperor and Empress will have my head for failing to protect you," Shirogane knelt on one leg, fisting his hand over his heart.

Levi wished he could tell the truth. "Rise."

"I thank you my lord. Please allow me to travel with you to ensure your safety."

"Very well."

Eren leaned against his sister for support and whistled loudly. Neighs filled the air as their steeds came pounding back into view. Relief flooded Levi's exhausted body upon seeing Noir was safe and unharmed. As he made to soothe her nerves from the frightening ordeal, his eyes briefly fell onto the sword Eren was holding, and he realized the ravenette was gripping it in a backwards stance.

Momentarily taken aback by this sight Levi shook his head, convincing himself that many people out there knew how to use a backwards grip. He himself was one such person after all, and that not everyone who did was Tsubasa in disguise.

Once they were sure the horses were safe and sound, the trio mounted their horses -Shirogane would follow in the trees- they quickly left the forest.

A pair of emerald eyes followed their movements as their silhouettes faded from view.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_One of my midterms have been moved to next week xD which means more time to update! _

_Where did all my readers go? D: come back to me! _

_See you all in the next chapter! A new character will probably be introduced!_

_Shadow Songstress~_


	16. Village Of Genbu

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Village Of Genbu**

Eren ended up riding behind Levi after giving Shirogane control of his horse -and because of the shoulder wound- so the man didn't have to walk behind them. Though the white-haired warrior insisted on moving through the trees, the trio wouldn't hear any of it and made him get on the horse after much bickering and arguing. Throughout the whole conversation Eren could feel the pain on his shoulder grow more intense. Only when he ended up losing his temper -which happened rarely- did Shirogane finally accept.

"Try not to fall off," Levi said when Eren mounted behind him.

The ravenette snorted. "Like hell I would. My shoulder is injured, not my hand."

Secretly Levi wanted Eren to wrap those arms around his waist, and his heart did a little skip when it happened. This was the first time he'd ever felt this way for someone. Back at the palace he was constantly pressured into taking a wife to be the crown princess, but he declined time and time again with the help of the Emperor and Empress. He wasn't the real heir after all. Even if he ended up marrying some girl to be his bride, she wouldn't be a princess, she'd be a nobody when his task was over.

"How much farther until we reach the next village?" Mikasa asked, pulling her horse up alongside Noir.

"About another few hours," replied Eren.

"Will your shoulder wound hold up until then?"

He flexed his arm and cringed in pain when it hurt. "If I don't jostle it too much then it should be fine until then."

"Here I thought you actually couldn't get hurt," piped up Levi.

Resisting the urge to elbow the prince in the ribs, Eren settled for headbutting the man on the neck, causing Levi to jerk the reigns in response and nearly sending Noir into another gallop through the forest. After calming his mare down through frequents rubs and pats on her mane, the prince swiveled around to glare at an innocent-looking ravenette.

"_Teme. _What was that for?" growled Levi.

Instead of responding Eren crashed their lips together in a fierce kiss. Mikasa blushed and looked away, pretending she didn't see anything while Shirogane whistled, grinning at the sight he was witnessing. When Eren pulled away he noticed Levi was blushing. Actually blushing. A rosy hue was settling on the man's cheeks and Eren couldn't resist taking it a bit further.

"Keep your eyes on the road," he instructed, jerking his head towards the front.

Muttering threats under his breath some of which included slitting Eren's throat while he slept, Levi reluctantly turned back around to take control of his mare while they continued onward. Leaning forward until his face was a mere inch away from the prince's neck, Eren licked a wet trail down towards the collarbone, which served to arouse Levi even more.

"What the hell are you doing?" hissed Levi.

"Seducing you," came the instant reply.

Oh he was seduced alright.

"Do you have a death wish?"

The arms around his waist tightened in response as Eren licked his ear. "What if I said I did?" purred the ravenette.

The only thing preventing Levi from ravaging the ravenette was the fact that they were out in the open, and with two other people around. Though he wanted to admit to Eren about his confused feelings -he's never felt this way before- Levi decided not to say antyhing until Eren spoke up first about it.

* * *

Suzaku, Genbu, Kaze, and Mizu gathered at the House of the Vermillion Bird since it was Suzaku who decided to arrange this meeting. This time two more people joined the four deities, namely the current heads of the Water and Fire Tribes. Shirogane was already with the prince of Japan, though Kaze was a bit disturbed by this event since she anticipated that he'd end up protecting Tsubasa. Nonetheless she had faith in her warrior.

"Tell us what you witnessed in the forest Seiya."

Ogami Seiya, Chief of the Fire Tribe, was the one who tailed Shirogane towards the forest in order to make sure the man was doing his duty. A man of great strength and power, Seiya had control over the element of Fire, and utilized it in battle to create devastating defenses, and powerful offenses against his enemies. Standing at 5'10 and gifted with a brilliant mind, Seiya was the epitome of authority. His emerald eyes could draw even the darkest of secrets from his enemies, and thus he usually covers his eyes with a bandage, relying on his heightened senses to fight. His long, flaming red hair was tied up in a high ponytail to keep it out of the way, and he was clad in a scarlet robe embroidered with designs of Suzaku. Bandages were also wrapped around his forearms, reaching down to his hands, leaving only fingers exposed, while his legs were given the same treatment. A pair of red boots stopped at the knees, revealing toned leg muscles from years of constant training.

"A group of assassins attempted to murder the Prince of Japan again, only this time he was helped by two doctors and Shirogane, who showed up at the last minute to save them," reported the redhead.

Kaze sighed heavily, resting a delicate hand against her forehead.

"Do not fret over this Byakko. I have faith in your warrior," Mizu said warmly.

"You give Shirogane too much credit Seiryuu. He is like the element he controls, wild and always on the move."

Mizu held up a fan to her face. "Perhaps I should send Shun to Shirogane and remind him of his duties," she mused, eyeing her chosen warrior.

Yamagata Shun was the Chief of the Water Tribe, the youngest of the four members but seemingly the wisest of them all. Unlike Shirogane and Seiya, whom specialized in offensive styles of fighting, Shun's powers were purely defensive and designed for healing. People have always believed that water had the mystical properties to heal any wound or injury, and those in the Water Tribe were given such gifts by Seiryuu. A bit shorter than her companion, standing at 5'7, Shun was a woman of grace and beauty. Her flowing blue hair cascaded around her shoulders like a waterfall, aquamarine eyes radiant with kindness, and her dress was a traditional kimono worn by woman decorated with images of her guardian deity and that of her village. She held herself with elegance and finesse, being the opposite of the fiery Seiya. It was only natural she was the only one who could calm him down when he was in a rage, due to their opposing elements, but also because she genuinely cared for him.

"I don't want to burden your warrior with my task. Shirogane is on the right path, I've read it in the stars. I just hope he doesn't stray from it," Kaze sighed again.

Daichi shook his head. "If only I knew where my warrior is..."

"Forgive us Genbu, we have searched high and low for the missing heir to the Earth Tribe, but our efforts have been in vain thus far," reported Seiya as the two knelt on their knees.

"Please rise you two. It is not your fault this has happened. I do not blame you both for I know you've given your all in the searches."

The two chiefs bowed their heads simultaneously.

"You have called us here for what specific purpose Suzaku?" inquired Mizu, facing her fellow friend and deity.

"We are running out of time. The borders grow closer to being invaded with each passing day. Unless Tsubasa learns who he really is, the fate of this country is doomed to destruction," answered Hono sadly.

"We cannot interfere in the affairs of the mortal realm. You know that just as well as I. What would happen if Amaterasu learned of this? She'll have our heads on a plate for sure."

Genbu held up his hands. "The Sun Goddess isn't without reason Seiryuu."

"We were there when she decreed no deity should meddle in mortal affairs, or did you forget that Genbu?"

"No. How could I forget? But these are dire times. Our country will fall unless we do something about it."

Kaze slammed a hand on the wooden altar, causing a burst of wind to blow through all. "We _are _doing something! We're sending our warriors to where Tsubasa is so he can learn his true destiny."

"Yet Shirogane didn't even manage to do that so far!" countered Seiryuu.

"That's because one isn't enough!"

Seiya and Shun exchanged looks of disbelief.

"Only with all four members can Tsubasa's destiny be revealed. It was written in the great prophecy given to us by Tsukiyomi. Even if Shun and Seiya were to somehow meet up with him right now, Tsubasa still won't know who he is until my warrior is found," Genbu interjected, hoping to calm Seiryuu down.

"Enough!" Suzaku said, her anger flaring through the roof as fire formed on her body.

The other three deities immediately quieted down when they sensed her temper fluctuating. Just like fire Suzaku was very volatile when annoyed, and the other three wouldn't want to risk her wrath after remembering what happened the last time she lost her temper like this. It took all of Seiryuu's powers to save the poor village she had set on fire accidentally, and it was an exhausting task.

Taking deep breath to calm herself and to reign in her powers, Suzaku exhaled softly and then opened her eyes again. "What we need to do right now is make sure Tsubasa remembers who he is in time. Shun, Seiya, I hate having to burden you two with this but you must meet up with Shirogane. With the three of you together it might be easier to sense where the warrior of Genbu is."

"Yes," the two chiefs replied.

Seiryuu crossed her arms in annoyance. "What I want to know is why Shirogane hasn't figured out where Tsubasa is."

"Which is exactly why Shun and Seiya need to be there."

"Shirogane is with the Prince right now. How will they fulfill their duties if they cannot locate Tsubasa?"

"No. Tsubasa _is _with them," Genbu suddenly said.

All eyes shifted over to the Black Tortoise. "What do you mean?"

"Tsubasa is with them. I know this because the Earth spoke to me. Tsubasa's alter ego is Eren, the traveling doctor who is currently with the Prince of Japan."

"Are you sure about this?" Seiryuu asked skeptically.

Genbu skewered his fellow deity with his eyes. "The Earth never lies."

Seiya straightened up to face the four gods. "I will depart for this Eren with Shun. Rest assured we will not reveal his destiny until the fourth has been found. We will also tell Shirogane what has happened here today."

Suzaku nodded. "Yes. Depart swiftly Seiya for time is of utmost importance. If what Genbu said is true then Eren is who you must find. Search him out with your link to Shirogane. Protect him. Defend him. Only with you four can he restore balance to our country."

* * *

_Shirogane! _

The sudden voice shouting in his head nearly threw the white-haired warrior off his horse in alarm. Luckily he caught himself rather quickly and the other three didn't appear to have noticed the jerking motions of his body. Pressing a hand against his temple while closing his eyes to communicate, Shirogane reached out to the voice which had spoken to him, and an image of Seiya, chief of the Fire Tribe and his partner, appeared inside the void.

_Seiya? Are you trying to give me a heart attack? _

_I see your sense of humor is still intact. What is your current position? Shun and I are on our way._

_What? I thought we've agreed to meet up at the separate villages? _

_Unfortunately Suzaku asked us to meet up with you so we can figure out where the fourth heir is._

Shirogane opened his eyes briefly and closed them again. _I might have an idea as to who it is. _

_You do? Who is it? _

This time Shun's voice joined in the conversation.

_I have no idea. _

He could practically feel their murderous aura rolling around in his head.

_Shun, remind me to burn his ass when we get there. _

_If you do that I'll have to stop you. Remember you two work the best together. _

_His sense of humor is starting to annoy the hell out of me. _

_Anyways we are heading for Genbu's village so meet up with us there._

This time the white-haired warrior severed their connection so he wouldn't have to hear Seiya complain anymore.

"We're here," Eren announced as they stopped in front of a wooden sign.

"The Village of Genbu..." murmured Shirogane.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_Seiya and Shun have been introduced! Props to those who can figure out where their names came from XD It's a homage to another one of my favorite animes of all time! _

_Quick question, do you all think you'd be interested in reading a SnK version of Lord of the Rings? LOL I don't know where that question came from but I'm just wondering is all XD If so then I can put up a preview chapter of sorts for you all? Eren would obviously still fall in love with Levi, but Eren wouldn't be the Ring-Bearer, someone else would be it. Eren would probably be an Elf from Mirkwood, and Levi will be Legolas ahahaha. I'm just curious though. If no one wants it then I won't do it ahahaha. _

_See you all in the next chapter! I promise the Levi/Eren shipping will start in chapter 17! _

_Shadow Songstress~_

**Name: Seiya Ogami**

**Age: 20**

**Height: 5'11**

**Hair color: Red**

**Eye color: Emerald**

**Element: Fire**

**Guardian Deity: Suzaku**

**Biography: As the current chief of the Fire Tribe, Seiya takes his duties rather seriously and always detests when his partner Shirogane is goofing around and not doing his work. Like the element he represents, Seiya is rather quick to anger and always charges headfirst into battles. However he is a gifted strategist and always has back up plans. **

**Name: Shun Yamagata**

**Age: 18**

**Height: 5'7**

**Hair color: Blue**

**Eye color: Aquamarine**

**Guardian Deity: Seiryuu**

**Biography: As the youngest member of the four banished from the court, Shun is the calm one of the group and is the only person capable of soothing Seiya when his rage boils over. Unlike the others where they are specialized in offensive tactics, Shun's powers lie in her unpenetrable defenses, and thus, she is a vital member of the four when in battle. In addition to her shields and defenses, she is the only member capable of healing wounds, though Shirogane can also do this to some degree.**


	17. Rendezvous

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Rendezvous**

"The village of Genbu," Eren declared as they passed under a wooden archway etched with the word "Genbu" on it. He made sure Levi was still in control of his horse while glancing around quickly. Everyone seemed busy and even children weren't running around in the streets unlike back in the villages of Seiryuu and Suzaku. There was an air of seriousness about which seemed to drive everyone to do their daily tasks.

"Are we finding a place to stay while we're here?" Mikasa asked, pulling Hikari up alongside her brother.

"There's one," the ravenette jerked his head in the general direction of an inn.

Levi tugged at the reigns and brought Noir over to the inn entrance. Dismounting swiftly with a single stride he turned to help Eren get off from the saddle, knowing the shoulder wound would most likely prevent him from getting off efficiently. Indeed his guess was right because the ravenette leaned heavily against him when getting off the large horse.

"How's your shoulder?" his sister came over to check on the makeshift bandage.

Eren shook his head. "It got worse during the ride. Help me clean and bandage it when we're inside."

Shirogane suddenly lifted his head and turned around as two figures leaped down from the roof, landing gracefully on their feet before the silver-haired warrior. Sensing the sudden intrusion Eren and Mikasa whirled around with the latter pressing a hand against the hilt of the katana tucked away in her obi sash. Levi also took a protective stance in front of the ravenette as he mirrored Mikasa's movements.

"I still got here before you two," Shirogane said with a grin.

"Only because your affinity is wind," the red-haired male answered with a scoff.

His companion merely lifted a large sleeve over her face delicately. "If Seiya burns you then I'll put it out."

"He loves me too much to do that."

Eren rubbed his head wearily. "Who the hell are they?"

The Wind Tribe Chief focused his attention back on the trio. "These two are the chiefs of the Water and Fire tribes respectively. The fiery redhead over there is Seiya, and the delicate lady standing next to him is Shun. Like me they were also banished from the court, and we are the ones who handed over the four sacred jewels before we left."

"Why are they here?" Mikasa curled her fingers around the hilt.

Seiya laid a hand over hers. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he advised softly.

She jerked her hand away and glared at him. "Why should we trust you?"

"He speaks the truth," Shun gently interjected.

Mikasa faced her brother. "What should we do Eren?"

"If Shirogane says they are his allies then...I don't see why we can't get along with them."

"We barely even know the guy to begin with!"

"Has he attempted to hurt us so far?"

Her eyes lowered slightly. "No..."

"Let's just see what they want in the long run. For now we'll follow with what Shirogane tells us."

* * *

Unable to ignore the pain in his shoulder any longer the ravenette went inside the inn with his sister and Levi following closely behind. Shirogane said he'll catch up with them later since the three of them needed to discuss something important, and then promptly disappeared with Seiya and Shun. Now that they were finally alone in a room together, Eren shrugged off the robe he was wearing and wasn't surprised to see the strip of cloth stained a brilliant red.

"Let me look at that," Mikasa instructed as she pulled the ends off.

Levi couldn't help but turn away from the sight of blood. He may have been cut and injured countless times, yet he abhorred anything that he deemed "dirty" and blood was definitely one of them. He would clean his room back at the palace constantly and only trusted three maids with the polishing when he wasn't around to do it. If there's anything else he hated aside from Tsubasa, it would be dirt.

Dust.

Ironic how he isn't afraid of dying but he's frightened of dust.

"Levi help me out," she called to him.

He blinked. "What do you need?"

"Spread this on Eren's wound while I get the bandages ready," instructed Mikasa.

Taking the stone bowl from her hands and into his own, Levi stared at the green paste clinging to the base of the bowl and used the spoon to scrape the thick spread onto Eren's wound. When it came into contact with the wound the ravenette hissed softly in pain, but soon the cooling effects of the paste kicked in and he sighed in relief.

"Does it hurt?" he asked softly.

"You try being shot in the shoulder with an arrow and tell me if it hurts," retorted Eren.

The next dab was deliberately applied with pressure causing Eren to whirl around and glare at him.

"Don't forget who you're talking to brat," sneered Levi.

"A pompous prince who needed his ass to be saved twice? I remember who I'm talking to," jeered the ravenette with a smirk.

If only Levi could wipe that smirk off his face.

"Don't even think about it."

Mikasa came back out with a roll of bandages in her hand and found her brother glaring at Levi, and her instincts kicked in as she turned towards the prince and narrowed her gaze at him. If he wasn't royalty she would've dropped him to the floor right then and there, and she was actually wondering how far her attempts would get before Levi would subdue her.

"Touch him and you die," she threatened.

"Tch. Why would I waste time on a brat like him?" Levi stepped back and allowed Mikasa to do the rest of the work.

He couldn't help but secretly admire Eren's toned back while the bandages were being applied.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_Short update today but I'll try to make the next one longer!_

_How are you all liking the story so far? _

_Shadow Songstress~_


	18. Melody & Identity

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Melody & Identity**

Now that Eren and Levi were alone in the room together after Mikasa went out into the town with Shirogane to buy more supplies, the duo decided to use this chance to try and get to know one another better. A part of the ravenette still thought of Levi as a pompous prince who was constantly pampered by the maids, but he couldn't help but wonder if there was something more lying beneath the cold exterior the man exhibited. The inn had a balcony overlooking the streets below, which the two men now occupied with a pot of tea sitting between them, lying next to two teacups. Eren picked up one of them to take a sip of the warm liquid, sighing softly as the aroma enveloped his body.

"Where are the two newcomers?" he questioned, lowering the china back down.

"They went with Shirogane and your sister."

The ravenette arched an eyebrow. "I hope she doesn't murder them."

"What makes you say that?"

"She has...tendencies to do that to those who irk her."

Levi wondered how Mikasa would react if he told her about the feelings he harbored for the ravenette. Not that he couldn't handle her on his own, he just preferred they stay on mutual terms and not have any misunderstandings. A bird landed on the wooden banister of the balcony and Levi watched the animal as it hopped around, seemingly unafraid of their presence. He was just about to reach a hand out to try and pet it when the door to their room flew open, and a frantic looking Mikasa ran into the room.

"Eren! Look at this!" she cried, waving a piece of paper in her hand.

The two men gathered around the table to peer at the piece of paper Mikasa had brought back. At first Levi didn't seem to have much reaction to what the writings on it were, but the closer he examined, the more his rage grew when he read what it was about.

_Due to recent events involving the four missing sacred jewels, the daimyos have determined that Crown Prince Levi is an accomplice of Tsubasa._

_His position as Crown Prince of Japan has been stripped and he is branded a traitor to the imperial court._

_The Emperor and Empress have agreed to bestow the title of Crown Prince to Haruto, the son of Daimyo Ryouma. _

_The coronation will take place on the next full moon in the ancient capital of Kyoto._

_All are welcome to attend the coronation ceremony._

_If anyone has any information pertaining to Levi, then please alert the imperial guards immediately.  
_

_A reward will be given to anyone with solid leads._

"So when did you become a traitor?" Eren joked when he looked up.

"Those bastards...how dare they do this in my absence," Levi clenched his fists together in anger.

It seems those old foxes have finally revealed their tails in this scheme. They used his disappearance from the court as an advantage to instill Ryouma's son as the next Crown Prince. Levi knew unless the real prince was found soon, all of Japan will fall under the rule of the daimyos and the commoners will never know another peaceful day. He had to act quick. But where would he even begin his search? So far all his efforts have been in vain to locate the missing heir.

"This is disturbing news," Shirogane suddenly said.

All three jumped.

"Don't do that!" Mikasa scolded, pressing herself against Eren.

"I thought you heard me come in?" the man innocently replied.

Eren snorted. "Like hell we did."

"_Warui_," Shirogane said sheepishly.

"So what are you going to do about this? Crown Prince of Japan."

Levi remained rooted to the spot as he lifted his gaze briefly, then lowered them back to the paper. Part of him wanted to tell the truth but another part was saying to keep his mouth shut until the real heir was found. If he blew his cover now then who can foresee what will happen? His eyes briefly locked gazes with those of Eren's, searching for answers to his dilemma but those jade irises reflected nothing.

"There is still at least three weeks before the full moon rises. If the three of you will follow me back to the capital then I can prove I'm innocent, and hopefully expose those traitorous daimyos for who they really are," Levi said at last.

* * *

Later that evening Levi was out in the empty streets taking a walk to clear his head. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine something like this would happen. Trying to unmask Tsubasa was his goal in life but now that he is branded a traitor, how on earth will he prove his innocence? There was no way the Emperor and Empress would do this willingly, which meant those old geezers were manipulating everything behind the shadows. If he was to expose them then there was only one way he could do so.

Find the real prince before time runs out.

As he wandered the streets lost in thought Levi suddenly picked up a familiar melody and lifted his head, eyes widening in disbelief. It was the same melody that he was taught by the Empress! Quickening his pace in hopes of finding the source of the mysterious sound, Levi found himself back at the front of the inn, where the song grew louder and more clear. There was no mistaking it. It was the same melody! Hurrying inside the inn the man hoped whoever was blowing it, would keep it up until he reached them.

* * *

Lowering the leaf from his mouth to exhale a soft breath of exhaustion, Eren stared out into the starry sky, watching as stars twinkled in the distance. Mikasa was curled up on the bed behind him, blanket pulled to her neck and her face buried in the red scarf he had given her. Shirogane was sharing a room with Shun and Seiya a few doors down from theirs, and Levi was out taking a walk, leaving him some time to reflect on the things that befell them since the death of his parents.

Suddenly a familiar sound drifted in the air and Eren turned around as the sound came from behind. Standing behind him was Levi, mouth pressed against a leaf, blowing the same melody he knew as tears formed in his eyes.

Slowly the man lowered the leaf and came forward until he was eye to eye with Eren.

"How do you know this song?" the ravenette heard himself asking.

Levi dropped down on one knee and lowered his head as the tears freely poured down his face. "I finally found you."

Eren blinked several times. "What are you talking about? We've been traveling together for a while now, have you lost your mind?"

Tearful sapphire met bewildered jade as Levi lifted his gaze upward. "You're Eren Jaeger...the _ouji _of Japan, and the one I've been searching for."

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_Le gasp!_

_Levi has finally found his prince! What will happen now? Will he tell Eren everything about his past? _

_What will happen to Levi now that he's branded a traitor and is wanted? _

_Will Eren accept his destiny as the Prince of Japan? Or will he run away? _

_What about Shirogane and the other two? Will they side with their prince or leave him on his own? _

_Find out in the next chapter of Tsubasa!_

_See you then!_

_Shadow Songstress~_


	19. Memories Forgotten Long Ago

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Memories Forgotten Long Ago**

"What do you mean I'm the real _ouji _of Japan? Stop playing tricks on me," Eren finally said after several moments of silence.

"No. I'm not lying to you. You really are the heir," insisted Levi, looking up at the ravenette.

Eren ran a hand through his locks and gave a frustrated exhale. "What the hell is up with you Levi? I thought you were more mature than this to play pranks on me. This is just ridiculous."

"What makes you think I'm playing a prank on you?"

"Look at me for Kami's sake! What part of me looks like a prince to you?" Eren threw his arms out to the side for good measure.

"You really don't remember do you?"

The latter snorted. "What do you want me to remember?"

Reaching into the black sash tied across his robe Levi extracted an object and held it out to Eren. A small silver key was nestled in the center of his palm when Eren peered at it. He picked up the tiny object and examined it, watching it glint under the light.

"What is this?"

"It's the key you gave me before we smuggled you out of the palace."

"What palace? I grew up on the mountains!"

Levi shook his head. "No. You are the son of Grisha and Carla Jaeger, the Emperor and Empress of Japan. When you were little an assassination attempt befell you but was thwarted. To save your life and to find out who was behind the attack, your mother and father sent you away from the palace to be brought up outside those walls. The mother and father who raised and nurtured you were the two most trusted advisers of your parents. Contact was lost when they traveled from village to village, and your parents thought you were lost to them forever but I kept on searching. I've spent 17 years looking for you Eren."

"I don't have time for this," Eren pushed past Levi to curl up against Mikasa.

"Believe it or not Eren, royal blood flows through your veins. You can't deny that fact," Levi called as the ravenette closed his eyes.

* * *

A silent whoosh of wind was followed by the silhouette of Shirogane as the chief returned back to his room. Seiya and Shun were sitting at the table drinking tea, and neither bat an eye towards their friend when he sat next to them.

"Where have you been?" inquired Seiya.

"Just listening to the wind."

"Anything new that we don't know?"

Shirogane grinned. "Apparently Levi just dropped the bomb on Eren."

Shun and Seiya fixed their attention onto their wild friend. "What do you mean by that?"

"As in Levi told Eren the truth about him being the heir to the throne of Japan, only for the latter to reject this and go to bed angry."

Seiya rubbed his forehead wearily. "Well now that this Eren knows the truth...perhaps things will finally go according to plan."

"No I doubt it. Eren has to believe what Levi said is true before anything can happen," replied Shun from the right.

"So what do you want us to do then? We can't waste any more time than we already have."

The two chief pressed a hand each on the shoulder of their leader, forcing Seiya to sit down before he did anything rash.

"Give it a little more time and Eren will come to accept the truth."

"We don't have time to waste-"

Seiya slumped over on the table thanks to a quick chop to the neck by Shirogane. Shun arched an eyebrow at the silver-haired male and then looked at the redhead. "You know he's definitely going to burn you now for that right?" she asked in an amused voice, going back to the cup of tea neglected on the table.

"I'm not afraid of him," grinned Shirogane.

* * *

_Listen carefully and you may hear it._

_The wind's carrying a calling from the past._

_Move forward._

_It's there, the tranquil faith._

_Prayers pass through time and my promises are fulfilled. _

_Take a deep breath and the distant spirits will call out._

_Call out..._

_"This song...why does it sound so familiar?" Eren whispered as the melody looped endlessly inside his mind. _

_"That's because it's the song your mother sang to you as a lullaby." _

_"Whose there?" the ravenette whirled around in the darkness._

_A figure approached the ravenette slowly and was revealed to be Hono. Eren sighed in frustration, wishing he had some answers to the riddles around him, not another lecture from the High Priestess of Suzaku._

_"What do you want?" he asked in an irked voice. _

_"I came to tell you the truth." _

_"What truth? There is no truth." _

_Hono raised a hand and waved the air in front of her, materializing some sort of screen depicting a crying baby. Eren found himself drawn to the scene, unable to look away as he watched silently. _

_"This was you as a mere infant. What Levi said earlier is true Eren. You are the heir to the throne of Japan." _

_As if to prove her words were correct the scene zoomed out to depict the Emperor and Empress standing over the cradle, smiling down at the baby and playing with him by tickling his stomach. The baby let out a happy gurgle and latched onto the finger of the Emperor, prompting the man to laugh in delight and scoop up the baby. _

_"You're such a good boy Eren," the Emperor said. _

_Eren's eyes widened in disbelief. _

_The Priestess observed his reactions silently as she waved her hand again, fast-forwarding the scene to the night of the assassination. _

_"You were put in grave danger that evening. If it weren't for the quick thinking of your caretakers, you would've died that night Eren. As a precaution the Emperor and Empress sent you away to be brought up as a commoner, while Levi took your place as a kagemusha, ever diligently awaiting your return one day. For 18 years he has carried this burden with him, never once complaining or whining about his fate, instead choosing to accept it with dignity and courage." _

_Suddenly the ravenette felt ashamed for the way he acted towards Levi earlier. _

_"You are the ouji of Japan, you are also Tsubasa." _

_"How did you-" _

_She smiled. "A High Priestess knows." _

_"What should I do..." _

_"Follow your heart Eren and it will guide you down the right path." _

_"Wait!" Eren reached a hand out towards Hono as she began to fade from view. "Don't leave me here!" _

_"You will know what to do. Trust yourself and in your abilities as Tsubasa." _

_He was left in the dark void once again. _

* * *

**To be continued...**

**Review? **

**Will Eren make it up to Levi in the next chapter? -wink-**

**You'll have to stay tuned to find out! **

**See you all then!**

**Shadow Songstress~**


	20. What We Wanted

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**What We Wanted**

Eren woke up the following morning with a sense of detachment and confusion. The dream he had with the High Priestess of Suzaku only served to make his emotions more muddled than before. What Levi told him the previous night was confirmed by Hono, though Eren still didn't believe it no matter what the dream was telling him. He couldn't be a prince. His parents are doctors and he grew up in the mountainside with them, Mikasa is his adopted sister, his alter ego is Tsubasa, he steals from the rich to give to the poor. There's absolutely no way he is the missing heir to the throne of Japan.

He's not the heir.

Levi is just playing a joke on him.

"Eren?" Mikasa's voice snapped him back to reality.

"You're awake?" he asked, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

His sister nodded and came over with a basin of water. "Here. Wash your face with this. When are you planning on taking the jewel?"

Dipping his hands into the water to splash his face with, the ravenette stood over the basin for a minute while water dripped down his face. Mikasa handed him a towel and Eren used it to dry his face prior to answering. "Tonight seems like a good night. We can't stay in one place too long or else someone will recognize Levi and that'll send the guards on our tails again."

"What are you going to do with all four once you have them?"

"Either sell them or give it to Levi with a wild excuse of sorts."

Mikasa frowned at this and began to carry the basin towards the washroom to empty the water. Part of her wanted to tell Eren maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go after the jewels, but the more rational end said it was for his sake she decided to follow him no matter where he went. Besides it's not like he couldn't defend himself in battle. They were well trained in martial arts and swordsmanship after all.

"Where is Levi?"

"He disappeared early this morning saying he'll be back later tonight," Mikasa came back out from the back room.

"I guess we can relax until he comes back so I can slip out unnoticed."

* * *

Why?

Why won't he believe him?

Why?

Why?

That was the only question swimming through Levi's mind as he wandered the streets of the village of Genbu.

18 years he spent searching for the missing heir, and now that he finally found Eren, he was hoping everything would return to normal.

No.

Not only does Eren refuse to believe he's the missing prince, he also called Levi a liar -even if not verbally- and to stop playing jokes on him.

Levi didn't waste 18 years of his life searching for nothing. He finally completed the promise he swore to the Emperor and Empress long ago.

Then why...

Why does he feel so empty?

So cold.

So...so...alone?

He should be happy Eren was the missing heir all along.

He should be rejoicing that his prince is still alive.

Yet where do these feelings come from?

"Are you alright?" a voice behind him said.

Levi whirled around with a foot raised in the air, ready to kick the person, only to have it blocked effortlessly by Shirogane with a raised arm.

"Oh. It's you," he said in a flat voice, lowering his leg back down.

"Not happy to see me?" Shirogane mocked a frown on his face.

"What do you want?" Levi turned back around to walk.

"Something's on your mind isn't it?"

Sapphire eyes flashed angrily. "You can't fathom what's possibly going on through my mind right now."

"You're upset because Eren refuses to believe you when you said he was the missing prince."

He grind to a halt. "How did you know?"

"The wind tells me everything," was the only response.

"Then there's nothing more for me to say."

Shirogane grabbed Levi's arm just as the man was about to walk away. "You love him don't you?"

Keeping his poker expression on despite the increased beating of his heart, Levi pulled his arm out of the man's grip and glared at him. "How dare you suggest I've fallen for that brat," he hissed angrily.

Those silver eyes seemed to penetrate the deepest part of Levi's soul. "I'm not suggesting. I'm stating a fact. I can tell it in your eyes Levi."

"You know _nothing _about me!" barked Levi as he whirled around and began stomping away.

"You were taken in by the Emperor and Empress when you were a little boy and trained in martial arts. You became the protector of Eren when he was born, and was the one who saved his life that night by risking your own to smuggle him out of the palace. Eren gave you a key as a betrothal gift, signifying he has chosen you to be with for the rest of his life. You still carry that key with you, even right now though I cannot see it. Once you were sure he was no longer in danger, you returned to the palace and became his kagemusha since no one had seen the prince save for his parents. For 18 years you've searched high and low for him, while fulfilling your duties as his shadow warrior. I know what you've been through Levi, so does Shun and Seiya for that matter," Shirogane's voice drifted over to him.

Levi paused in his steps, curling his hands into fists with his head lowered.

The silver-haired chief waved a hand in the air as a gentle breeze blew around Levi, ruffling his hair and clothing in a playful manner. However the man didn't respond and simply remained standing where he was. Shirogane walked over and looked down at the shorter man, noticing how his shoulders were trembling slightly.

"If you love him then you should let him know," he said softly.

"Didn't the wind tell you Eren's response as well?" scoffed Levi, looking to the side.

At this the silver-haired chief lifted his head up towards the sky. "There's a girl back where I live, her name is Haruka, and she was my intended wife. She adored me but I was constantly occupied with work from the imperial court and my duties as the leader of the Wind Tribe. I neglected her. One day she went out to gather flowers and was attacked by a band of bandits. I arrived too late to save her. As she laid dying in my arms, her last words to me were "I love you Shirogane, always did and always will. Even if I'm not here anymore, my spirit will forever watch over you." I felt so helpless at that moment, I tracked down those bandits and killed every last one of them. I loved her but I never told her. She died not knowing how I truly felt. Don't end up like me Levi. If you love Eren then tell him before it's too late, because if something happened to him, you'll never forgive yourself like me."

"I'm sorry to hear that..."

"_Omae no sei ja nai_," replied Shirogane.

"What should I do then?"

Shirogane rested a hand on Levi's shoulder and smiled. "Find a chance to tell him. _Ore ni shinjite_, he may hide it but I have a feeling Eren feels the same way."

"We'll see..."

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_Levi/Eren will come in a few more chapters! I promise! I need to build up enough angst first! _

_How are you all enjoying the story so far?_

_Like it? Hate it? You absolutely despise where it's going? _

_See you all in 21!_

_Shadow Songstress~_

**Omae no sei ja nai= It's not your fault**

**Ore ni shinjite= Trust in me**


	21. Tsubasa Revealed & Levi Captured

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa Revealed & Levi Captured**

Eren deftly leapt from roof to roof making sure he didn't produce any sounds when he landed. It took him a while longer to get out of the inn because Levi somehow came back looking rather depressed and went straight to bed, without saying a single word to the ravenette. He had debated on asking the man what was wrong, but given the atmosphere hanging around Levi, he decided it was better to leave him be. After he takes this jewel, then there is only one more left, from there he will decide what to do with them. Eren was just about to leap to another building when he heard shouts and yells coming from the street. Hiding in the shadows of the roof the ravenette craned his neck down over the ledge and peered, noticing a large group of soldiers harassing a bunch of villagers.

"Let us through! We have to see the lord!" one man cried, pushing against spears blocking his path.

"You're not seeing anyone," replied the guard roughly, shoving the man to the ground.

"This is ridiculous! He keeps raising taxes every single week! If things keep up we won't have enough to feed our families!"

"Well then that isn't our problem now is it? You commoners just need to toil harder under the sun," sneered another guard.

Reaching into the pouch behind his back Eren extracted a handful of needles, aimed them carefully, and then threw them with deadly accuracy. One by one the guards slumped over on the ground, having fallen unconscious thanks to the acupuncture points that were sealed. The protesting villagers looked around in bewilderment when the ravenette landed silently on his feet.

"It's Tsubasa!"

The villagers crowded around Eren in awe, making him feel overwhelmed with all the sudden attention. He backed away from the crowd and held a hand up to stop them. Taking out a small pouch full of coins from his bag, he handed it to one of the villagers who stared at it in confusion before looking at him.

"Use it to buy food for yourselves and the village. There's more than enough in there," Eren said through the mask.

"Thank you so much!" the grateful villagers cried.

With a swift nod of his head Eren jumped back onto the roof and continued running.

* * *

Genbu was inside his temple when he felt vibrations in the earth, alerting him to the presence of Tsubasa. Assuming his human guise to greet the true heir to Japan, the deity morphed just as Tsubasa came in through the door, heading straight for the jewel while he observed the young man from behind a green pillar.

"I know you're there," Tsubasa said.

The deity smiled and walked out.

"Greetings Tsubasa. I am Daichi, the High Priest of Genbu."

Tsubasa faced Genbu at that moment and a look of weariness crossed those jade eyes. "Have you come to tell me about my destiny as well? Because I heard it from Hono and Mizu already."

'_Brave kid_' thought the deity as he walked a little closer.

"If you already heard it from them, then there is no need for me to repeat it."

"Then I'll be leaving," Tsubasa turned towards the door.

"_Matte_," Genbu called.

The man faced him. "What is it now?"

"_Onegai ga aru_."

"Which is?"

"Find the Chief of the Earth Tribe for me."

Tsubasa snorted at this. "I'm no one's errand boy."

"He is a crucial part in restoring you to your rightful place as Prince of Japan."

"_Ore wa ouji ja nai!_" exploded Tsubasa angrily.

Instead of saying something further to agitate the man, Genbu merely rested a hand on his firm shoulder. "Only you know what the truth is. Find my heir, the one who controls the power of Earth. Only with all four members of the tribes can the truth be exposed."

* * *

By the time Eren slipped back into the vicinity of the inn he was fuming angrily. Why does everyone insist he is the real prince? He's a doctor for crying out loud. A traveling doctor who just wants to help those less fortunate than he is, and then move away and live a peaceful life with Mikasa until the two of them die or pass on their skills to apprentices.

He's not of royal blood!

He can't be.

He's just a commoner.

Pushing those thoughts out of his head Eren landed on the balcony leading to the room he shared, pushed open the windows gently, and slipped inside only to find Mikasa standing there. Her eyes were telling him a message, for he had never seen her this worked up before. He was just about to ask her what's going on when Levi's voice interrupted.

"_Omae wa Tsubasa nano ka...Eren_?"

Levi emerged from behind the screen placed in front of the washroom for privacy. Jade eyes flickered back over to his sister and suddenly everything made sense. She was tense because Levi was up and waiting for him. What happened to drugging him so he would sleep through the night? He'll have to ask Mikasa for answers later.

"_Kotaero!_" roared Levi, ever steadily approaching Eren.

There was no point in hiding it now.

"_Datara dou suru?_" he replied.

Steel met steel as a katana struck the back of a metal arm guard.

Mikasa became alarmed as she threw herself in front of her brother, arms outstretched in a silent plea for stop while she faced an angry Levi.

"Stop this!" she begged.

"Move away before I hurt you Mikasa."

Eren stood in front of his sister and pulled of the mask from his face, allowing Levi to see that he was indeed Tsubasa, the one who had injured him the very first night he infiltrated the palace.

"You've been lying to me this whole time haven't you?" growled Levi.

"I have my reasons."

"Don't screw with me Eren. Why are you doing this when you should be helping Japan? You are the heir to the throne! You shouldn't be stealing from your own parents."

"Eren...what is he talking about?" Mikasa breathed.

Jade eyes narrowed in protest. "Don't worry about it Mikasa."

Levi raised the katana higher in the air and pointed it at Eren, yet he couldn't bring himself to harm the one he spent his whole life searching for. Even if Eren is Tsubasa, he still had a duty to protect the ravenette no matter what happened. Harming him would be going against the promise to the Emperor and Empress to bring him back to the palace. Instead Levi lowered the sword and turned away, leaving the room as the doors slammed loudly behind him.

* * *

Levi couldn't believe this.

Eren was Tsubasa all along!

The prince he had been looking for was the infamous thief plaguing Japan all this time.

How could he have missed the clues?

Eren's fighting abilities, the back-handed style grip, everything should have pointed to him being Tsubasa.

Was he too blinded by duty to see what laid before him?

As he wandered aimlessly along the empty streets of the village, Levi was lost in thought about what he had just learned. Having woken up in the middle of the night for a drink of tea, he had found Mikasa standing by the window acting a bit unusual and decided to interrogate her about what was going on, since he couldn't find Eren anywhere in the room. When she refused to say anything, a thought began to form in Levi's head and he hid himself to see if what he thought was true.

Turns it out was.

What should he do now?

Eren said he had a reason for doing what he did, but nothing can justify stealing from your own parents.

Shouts of joy from up ahead caused Levi to walk over out of curiosity and he spotted villagers passing around a pouch full of coins. Unable to stop himself the man approached one of them to ask what was going on.

"What are you all doing?" he asked.

"We're sharing the money Tsubasa gave us!"

"Tsubasa gave you all money?" Levi asked incredulously.

The villager nodded eagerly. "Yes he steals from the rich to give to the poor like us so we can live better lives! He even took out the guards who were harassing us earlier."

An eyebrow was raised. "He killed them?"

"Oh no! He just made them go to sleep for a while so we can share the coins without being caught."

'_So that's why he said he had his reasons...it was for the people of Japan...'_

Thanking the villager and wishing they would have a plentiful harvest that season, Levi left the group and wandered near a lake while pondering on what he had just learned.

So lost in thought was he that Levi failed to notice a group of black-clad men sneaking up behind him.

The last thing he remembered was someone standing over him as the world spun around, then darkness lured him into sleep.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_Levi's been captured! Will Eren go rescue him? _

_See you all next chapter!_

_Shadow Songstress~_

**Matte= Wait**

**Onegai ga aru= I have a request**

**Ore wa ouji ja nai= I am not a prince**

**Omae wa Tsubasa nano ka= You are Tsubasa aren't you**

**Kotaero= Answer me**

**Datara dou suru= So what if I am**


	22. Rescuing Levi I

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Rescuing Levi I**

Morning arrived and Levi still hadn't returned back to the inn, causing Eren and Mikasa to worry over his sudden absence. Hate the guy he might for pulling such a prank on him, the ravenette knew he couldn't bring himself to hate Levi no matter what he did. Instead he found himself growing rather fond of the shorter man during their travels together, but he's just too stubborn to admit it out loud. No one ever managed to do with he did after all, which was find a way into his heart.

"Where is he?" Mikasa asked worriedly, poking her head out the doors every five minutes.

"He's probably coming back soon or something," Eren replied in an effort to calm her down.

"This isn't like him though. He would've came back already."

Shirogane, Seiya, and Shun suddenly appeared at the door just as Mikasa was about to close them, scaring her a little as she pressed a hand over her mouth and then quickly stepped aside to let them in. Shun was holding some sort of paper in her hand, and Eren had a bad feeling about what it was.

"What's going on?"

"Read this," Shun said, sliding the paper over to the siblings.

Eren took the paper and scanned the contents.

_We formally invite you all to the public execution of the traitor Levi,_

_at noon of tomorrow inside the Imperial Palace._

_We will allow villagers within just this once to witness what happens when the laws of the land are defied._

_Let this be a warning to those allied with Tsubasa._

_We will catch you,_

_You will face punishment under the divine laws of Japan. _

"_Ano baka_! He got captured?" he said, throwing the paper away in disgust.

Mikasa took it to read.

"What are we going to do now?" Seiya asked.

"Let him be. He's not my problem anymore," Eren said, surprised by the bitterness in his voice.

All eyes in the room turned towards the ravenette, who acted nonchalantly but inside he was fuming at the news. Laying the paper back down on the table, Mikasa went over to her brother and rested a hand on his shoulder. "We can't just let him die Eren. Remember he got captured because the people think he's your accomplice in this whole mess," she whispered.

"I don't care at this point Mikasa. Let's just get the other jewel, sell it, and move together somewhere far from here where we can live in peace," he replied, placing a hand over her own.

"We can't just let him die," Shirogane said, carefully observing his reactions.

Eren whirled around and slammed a hand on the table so loudly it startled Mikasa. "I don't care what happens to him! He can go die in a hole and that still wouldn't faze me!" he shouted angrily.

Silver irises narrowed in anger as Shirogane swiftly closed the gap between himself and Eren, then slapped the ravenette hard on the face, stunning Eren as he slowly turned his head back with pupils dilated in shock.

"_Aho_! Even now you're still denying your true calling! Levi's spent half of his life as your kagemusha and searching for you. Do you have _any _idea what he's been through all these years? Living with guilt and regret every day because he couldn't protect you when you were but a young child? Not a single day goes by without him worrying about your safety! Now that he's finally found you, you're going to throw away what he's been searching for all these years? He's _your _shadow warrior Eren. The key he carries belongs to you, which you gave him when you were little, and he never lets it out of his sight. You're the prince of Japan, he's been captured in your stead. Now you're just going to sit here and pretend nothing's wrong and continue on with your perfect little life? How selfish can you get? He protected you. He watched over you. He _loves _you. The least you can do is show him you love him as well."

Silence.

Shun and Seiya exchanged glances of astonishment, for they've never seen Shirogane ever this angry or upset before.

Mikasa wore an expression of bewilderment on her face. "Eren...what does he mean by you're the prince of Japan? Levi is...isn't he?" she hesitantly asked.

Shirogane shook his head. "Your brother here is the true heir to the throne. Levi has been acting as a kagemusha in his place for more than 18 years. He probably doesn't remember because he was very little when the assassination happened, and the trauma probably prevented him from remembering anything at all."

"Those headaches Eren! It happens because your suppressed memories were trying to resurface," Mikasa exclaimed, knowing why he had frequent headaches.

Eren wasn't paying attention.

Instead his mind was replaying the three words Shirogane just said.

"He loves you."

Levi loved him?

No.

It's all lies.

"You say Levi loves me? Don't mess with my head Shirogane. How can someone as cold, blunt, and unapproachable as him love me?"

"I never lie."

Jade eyes met with sapphire and ruby as the other two nodded their heads in confirmation. "Shirogane never lies," Shun said.

"She's right," added Seiya.

"I grew up wanting nothing more than to live a normal, happy life with my parents and Mikasa. I wanted her to never suffer the horrors she went through when she was a little girl. Do you know what it's like to see your parents slaughtered before your very eyes? With a trembling sibling next to you, clinging and crying endlessly? I _never _want her to go through that again. That's why I'm not the prince you're looking for. Or Levi's looking for. I'm just a traveling doctor."

"_Chigau_. I grew up an orphan with my brother Kurogane. My parents died on the battlefield when I was a little kid. It was the village elder who raised us up. Like you I never knew what it was like to have a mother's love, or a father's wisdom. You think you had it tough? All three of us here came from tragic backgrounds, yet that didnt deter us from our duties. What you're doing right now is running away from your destiny Eren. If you were a man, you'd face it with your head held high and do what's right," Shirogane turned around and headed for the door. "If you're not saving Levi then I'll go. I'm more than enough to get him out of that stinking prison."

With that said the silver-haired chief walked out the exit, followed shortly behind by Seiya, though Shun shared a brief look with the ravenette prior to following her two friends out.

Eren sank to the floor with Mikasa holding her brother.

For the first time in a long time, Eren allowed tears to flow freely down his face.

Mikasa leaned her forehead against her brother's. "Eren..."

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_I'm going to put Falling For You on hiatus for a while since I need to work out some kinks here and there._

_Hmmm I have another Levi/Eren idea brewing, which involves them in a VMMO like SAO and Log Horizon, but I won't write it till Tsubasa is finished. _

_Codename: Rogue and Spiral Waltz will be updated when I can so bear with me on those! _

_See you all in the next chapter!_

_For now Tsubasa is my main priority. _

_Ja ne!_

_Shadow Songstress~_

**Ano baka= That idiot**

**Aho= Fool**

**Chigau= You're wrong**


	23. Rescuing Levi II

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Rescuing Levi II**

"Weren't you a bit harsh back there Shirogane?" Shun inquired as they galloped through the forest on horses.

"He'll never learn or follow his heart unless someone smacks some sense into him," replied Shirogane coldly.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day when you'd actually grow a backbone and be a man," interjected Seiya.

The silver-haired chief snorted. "Do you honestly see me as that irresponsible?"

"Yes," the two answered without hesitation.

Shirogane would have shook his head if his ears hadn't picked up footsteps quickly gaining on them from behind. He pulled his horse to a stop and beckoned at the others to do the same. Shun and Seiya immediately assumed it was an enemy but a wave from Shirogane told them to drop their guard. Eren galloped into view several moments later atop a brown horse, skidding to a halt just before he could crash into Shun.

"I'm coming with you," announced the ravenette.

"I thought you didn't give a crap about Levi?" Seiya arched an eyebrow at him.

Eren looked to the side, seemingly gathering his thoughts together. "I can't just let him die after what he's done for me. He's been through enough like you said. It's time I accept my destiny and go save my shadow warrior, I owe him that much for these past years."

"Where is your sister?" Shun noticed Mikasa was missing.

"I made her stay behind at the inn," Eren looked at Shirogane and the chief could see resolve swimming within those jade irises. "Promise me something you three?"

"Depends on what it is," Seiya said.

"If something happens to me...promise me you'll look after Mikasa."

The trio all shared a look prior to Shirogane answering Eren's request. "Just what are you planning on doing?"

"I'm going to exchange myself for him," came the prompt response.

"Have you gone mad? You can't do that! You're the heir to the throne! What happens when they kill _you _instead?"

The ravenette had a smile on his face as he answered. "Who said I'm going as the prince?"

Shun was the first to realize the meaning behind those words. "You're planning on exchanging yourself as Tsubasa...aren't you?"

"You know I am Tsubasa?"

"We all know. We were just asked not to say anything by our guardian deities," muttered Shirogane darkly, glaring at Eren.

Seiya intercepted Eren's horse with his own as the redhead stared at him. "It is our duty to protect you so you can reclaim the throne with our help. We can't possibly let you risk something as stupid as this. We are more than enough to break Levi out of that prison."

Eren's expression hardened. "Do you recognize me as your prince?"

"Yes."

"Then I order you three to do what you've been told. When I exchange myself for Levi, get him out of here and as far away as possible with Mikasa. No matter what happens promise me you'll guard over them. This is my first and last order as prince of Japan to you three, understand?"

"But-"

"It's an order!" barked Eren.

"We can't just-"

Jade eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Oogami Seiya! Yamagata Shun! Shirogane! I order you to do as you're told," snapped the ravenette.

Seiya's nostrils flared in anger but he couldn't defy a direct order. "Very well. We understand," he reluctantly said.

Shirogane cocked his head and listened to the wind. "Shit."

"What now?" asked Seiya in an irked voice.

"Those bastards changed the day of the execution. It's this afternoon instead of tomorrow. We have to hurry!"

The four kicked their horses into a sprint.

'_Hang on Levi. I'm coming for you._'

* * *

The imperial castle was swarming with mobs of citizens pouring in to witness a public execution, the first in many years for them. Eren, Shirogane, Shun, and Seiya were disguised amongst the others, wearing capes over their heads and trying hard to meticulously mingle with the others. Underneath the cape was the black outfit of Tsubasa and covering his face -which was shielded by the hood- was the mask that identified him further as the masked vigilante. The plan was a simple one. Eren would break away and become Tsubasa, then interrupt the execution and negotiate a release for Levi in exchange for himself. If all goes well then the other three will take Levi away and he will be left instead.

Death couldn't compare to all the suffering Levi had to go through.

Carefully the four made their way towards the large gates and were promptly ushered inside by the guards. Eren noticed Petra stood guard over Levi, a look of devastation upon her face. Standing next to her was another blonde, a male this time, and his expression was blank as he stared at the hunched figure over the platform. His hand was resting on Petra's shoulder as she lamented silently.

"Go Eren. No one is watching right now," whispered Seiya as his eyes scanned the crowd.

"Cover me," murmured Eren as he shed his cloak.

This was Shirogane's cue to conjure up a gust to blow through the crowd, prompting them to cover their eyes and faces from the sudden wind, allowing Eren to slip away unnoticed in his black outfit. Lowering his hands to the side and acting normally, the silver-haired chief watched as the ravenette disappeared behind a wall.

"Let's hope he can pull this off."

"He won't fail. Not this time," answered Seiya.

* * *

Levi just wanted to get this over with.

Since being captured he was tortured and whipped mercilessly for an entire day, with his execution scheduled for the very next. His whole body ached. His limbs were sore. His arms were still raw and bleeding from the course rope which had been tied around his wrists, so he could be dangled for the whole torture session. It seems the daimyos wanted to make sure he would appear weak and powerless before the commoners, as a warning to those who would dare defy the imperial court.

Death seemed like salvation right now.

There was nothing left worth living for after all.

His heart has been broken.

His mind has been ripped apart by denial.

His soul torn by grief.

The one person he wanted to love more than anyone denied him.

What's the point?

Someone moved out of his peripheral vision and Levi painstakingly shifted his head to the side, noticing it was the executioner coming towards him with a large blade resting over one arm. He couldn't be no more than 24 years of age, judging from how young he appeared to be. How much death has this person witnessed so far? How many heads did he already behead? How many nightmares does he get every night from his victims?

Sitting up on a table looking rather smug and confident was Ryouma, the mastermind behind all of this. Sitting next to him was his son Haruto, the newly crowned "Prince" of Japan by the Emperor and Empress. He was dressed in the robes Levi once wore when he was acting as a kagemusha. Though Levi knew the boy harbored no intentions of becoming the Prince, which only happened because of his father, he couldn't bring himself to hate Haruto. He was caught up in the middle of all this with no control over the situation. The only thing Levi wished right now was that Haruto become a good ruler to Japan.

"It's time my lord. I hope you'll forgive me for this," the executioner said as he stood before Levi.

He merely blinked once as wind blew through his bloodied locks.

"The time has arrived. Execute him!" Ryouma ordered from his chair.

'_At last..._' thought Levi as he closed his eyes.

Gently pushing Levi's head further down to get at his neck, the executioner murmured a quick prayer to Kanon and raised his blade high in the air. He brought it swinging down with a mighty rotation of his arms, but suddenly a throwing knife came out of nowhere, knocking the weapon into the sky.

* * *

From his hiding place atop the roof Eren breathed a sigh of relief, knowing his throw was timed just right before Levi lost his head. Shouts and cries erupted from the crowd as they all glanced around in bewilderment, wondering who had thrown the knife. Ryouma had risen to his feet and was barking orders at the guards to keep the crowd quiet as those beady eyes roamed the courtyard.

"Who did that! Who dares defy a public execution of a traitor?" he roared angrily.

Flipping gracefully into the air to land deftly next to Levi, Eren revealed himself to the world as Tsubasa.

"Tsubasa!"

"It's him! It's Tsubasa!

"Tsubasa has come!"

"Save the innocent from the corrupted!"

The crowd started chanting "Tsubasa" over and over again much to Eren's chagrin.

Ryouma looked like he was about to pop a vein as he slammed a hand against the table angrily. Immediately the guards cocked their guns and pointed it at the crowd, shocking them into silence while the others pointed theirs at Eren. Unfazed by this the ravenette kept a steady gaze upon the daimyo through his mask.

"Well if it isn't the legendary Tsubasa. Have you come here to send your accomplice to _jigoku _yourself?" sneered the man.

"I came to make an offer to you," Eren said.

"You're in no position to be making negotiations! Once I have Levi executed, you will be next! Guards! Arrest him!"

Eren easily knocked the advancing guards back with a powerful whirlwind kick. "Not even if I told you I'm offering myself in exchange for this man's freedom?"

At this the daimyo became suspicious but raised a hand to halt the guards. "What do you mean offer yourself?"

"I'll exchange myself in this man's place, as long as you promise to set him free. If you do then I'll be the one you can personally execute."

Levi widened his eyes in shock when he heard this. "Are you mad? Get out of here while you can!" he said as a guard bashed his head with the end of the gun.

"Why are you offering yourself in exchange for Levi's life?" asked Ryouma suspiciously.

"Because he's innocent," Eren said firmly.

The entire courtyard became a riot as guards struggled to detain commoners, whom were all trying to push past to crowd around Levi.

"Silence!" barked Ryouma.

Gunshots were fired into the air to silence the crowd.

Stroking his beard as he contemplated this offer, Ryouma decided it would be to his best interest if he got rid of Tsubasa. No one would dare defy him anymore if their beloved figure was killed before their very eyes.

"Very well. Release Levi!" he commanded.

Petra rushed forward and cut away the ropes binding Levi's hands and feet together. He threw her a grateful look as she helped him to his feet, then brought him away from the platform. His eyes met with Eren's briefly, then he looked away, unable to imagine a world without the ravenette.

"I have one last request," the ravenette said.

"What is it? Make it quick."

"Let me say something to Levi in private."

"Fine. I'll allow it in case people call me cold-blooded," Ryouma waved the guards off.

Eren caught Levi as the latter slumped into his arms, unable to hold himself up any longer. The ravenette realized he had been tortured and beaten badly, for the back of his robe was soaked with blood.

"Why are you doing this! I'm your shadow warrior! It's my duty to protect you. It's also my duty to die in your place," hissed Levi angrily.

The ravenette pressed his lips against Levi's cracked ones instead of answering, giving him a tender kiss of farewell before pulling back to whisper something in his ear. "Seiya and the others are waiting for you outside. Go with them. They'll protect you and Mikasa. Think of this as my first and only selfish request to you as your prince. Live on Levi. Live on for my sake and yours. I love you."

Sapphire eyes dilated in surprise as Petra led him away.

However Eren had one more thing to do before going quietly. Making sure the crowd was watching him as he did this, the ravenette pulled off his mask and threw it to the ground, the metal clanging noisily against concrete. More gasps and cries of shock erupted from the commoners when Eren turned around to face them.

"Citizens of Japan you bear witness on this day. I, Eren Jaeger, am the notorious Tsubasa who has been helping you from the shadows. Many of you know me as a doctor and I see some of my patients in the crowd. Thank you for the continued support and loving gestures you've given to me and my sister. It was an honor being Tsubasa. Now it's time for me to pay up for my crimes. _Sayonara minna, soushite arigato_."

With that done Eren allowed himself to be led away by guards.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_What will happen now that Eren exchanged himself for Levi? _

_Will Levi allow Eren to do this? _

_What will the citizens of Japan do now that they know their beloved Eren and Tsubasa are one and the same? _

_What sort of torture does Ryouma have planned for Eren? _

_Stay tuned to find out! _

_See you all in the next chapter!_

_Shadow Songstress~_

**Sayonara soushite arigato= Farewell and thank you**


	24. The Missing Chief

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**The Missing Chief**

Levi was in a state of shock when Petra escorted him away from the courtyard and outside the palace walls. She would've lingered to talk to her captain but duties call, meaning she had to return back to commander Erwin. Therefore with a swift hug and a small smile, the blonde guard hurried away from the scene lest more tears fall down her face.

Shun, Seiya, and Shirogane were waiting for the dark-haired man as he staggered into view, dragging his feet beneath him slowly. Seiya caught Levi just as he fell forward into his arms, and the bluenette came over, kneeling beside the former and holding her hands out. A gentle blue glow enveloped her palms while she moved them around his body, carefully healing all the injuries inflicted upon him.

"Why..why did that idiot do that?" Levi gasped, clutching Seiya's shirt tightly.

"Because you've done enough for him as a shadow warrior."

"It's _because _I'm his shadow warrior I should have died back there!"

Shirogane knelt down next to the trio and looked Levi square in the eyes. "It's exactly because you're _his _shadow warrior that he doesn't want you to die like this."

"What..."

"How are his wounds coming along Shun?" inquired the redhead as he watched her move her arms higher.

"Almost done. I've stopped the bleeding and closed many of them but the scars will probably remain."

"Let them remain," Levi said bitterly. "As a reminder that I failed in my duty to protect Eren."

"You didn't fail. He ordered us to protect you and Mikasa before turning himself in."

Helping Levi into a standing position the two males supported either side of the shadow warrior as they led him over to the brown horse Eren had ridden to catch up to them with. When a familiar neigh filled the air as they drew near the mare, Levi's head picked up and he immediately recognized the soothing sound.

"Noir, why are you here?" he asked, running forward to embrace his mare.

"Eren rode her here. Does she belong to you?" Seiya noticed how the horse kept on nuzzling Levi.

"I raised her."

Mounting his own horse which was huddled around a pile of grass, eating quietly but flicked its ears in his direction when he approached, Shirogane adjusted himself on the saddle and turned to the others. "We have to hurry back if we're going to come up with a plan to save Eren," his eyes fell upon Levi as he said those words.

"I-"

"Say no more Levi. We all know you're going to save him even if he ordered you not to," interjected Shun as she gracefully mounted her horse.

Levi felt the corner of his lips twitch in slight annoyance.

* * *

They arrived at the inn a little past sunset thanks to them riding nonstop through the forest. Normally he would have never pushed Noir this hard or far before, but these were desperate times. And desperate times called for desperate measures. Eren doesn't know Ryouma as much as he does. That old geezer will do anything to get rid of anyone whom he perceives as a threat. The longer the ravenette remained within his grasp, the faster Levi had to act to get him out of there.

Mikasa rushed over to the group when they entered the room. It was evident she had been crying because her eyes gave it away automatically, though she put on an expression of courage when they arrived. Levi understood for the first time why Eren and her were so close. They were like two sides of a coin, one cannot live without the other. It must have devastated her when the ravenette made her stay behind so she wouldn't get caught up in the mess as well.

"Eren! Don't tell me he..." Mikasa trailed off and looked away, unable to go on nor face the facts.

Shirogane embraced the crying woman within his arms as she unleashed a fresh wave of tears. He didn't mind if her tears soaked through his robe. The silver-haired chief understood perfectly well what was going on within her mind at that moment. If anything ever happened to Kurogane, he was sure he would be acting the same way.

Finally after several minutes of crying into his robe she pulled away to wipe her eyes, then pointed at something on the table. All eyes shifted towards said object and saw it was a brown pouch. Shun picked it up, shook out the contents, and out tumbled the three jewels Eren had stolen with the intent of selling. The gems glittered in her palm and she looked up at Mikasa. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked, though she had a pretty good idea what Eren wanted to do.

"They belong to you don't they? Eren wanted to make sure you got them back no matter what."

"The Topaz is missing," observed Seiya.

"I have it," Shirogane automatically said, pulling out the yellow gem from his sash.

Seiya arched an eyebrow. "I thought it was supposed to be at the altar?"

"Byakko gave it to me beforehand. She said she had a feeling it will come in handy for me."

"Seiya here," Shun tossed the Ruby through the air.

The redhead chief deftly caught it without looking.

Shun stared sadly at the Emerald which belonged to their missing comrade. "If only we knew where Genbu's chosen warrior is..."

As if answering her prayers the Emerald began to shine brightly. So brightly it caused all four occupants to shield their eyes with one hand as the Emerald floated out of Shun's hand, hovering before Levi as they lowered their arms. Confused and puzzled by a jewel suddenly hovering in front of him, Levi merely gawked at it.

"Why is it hovering in front of Levi?" asked Mikasa.

"_Masaka..._" Shirogane breathed.

"_Uso_," added Shun.

It was Seiya who broke the silence. "You're the missing chief we've been looking for Levi!"

Said man blinked. "What?"

"You're the Chief of the Earth Tribe!"

Levi had no energy left for jokes like this. "I don't have time for this Seiya," he said wearily, rubbing his forehead.

"The Emerald reacts to its true owner. If it's hovering in front of you then it means you're the chosen one. Reach a hand out and touch it if you don't believe me," urged the redhead.

Deciding to do just that to shut Seiya up the man reached out and grasped the Emerald in his hand. The moment his skin came in contact with the surface of the gem, a surge of energy poured forth from the jewel and into his body, filling him and renewing his vigor. Levi gasped as his strength returned, chasing away the remnants of fatigue and exhaustion from his system.

"_Hora_, I was right," Seiya said smugly.

"..."

"All this time he was right in front of us...why haven't we noticed earlier?" muttered Shirogane.

"That's because unlike us, he doesn't know how to use his powers."

"I don't have any powers," Levi stated bluntly.

Shun shook her head at him. "As one of the chosen four, each of us are born with the ability to control the element given to us by the four guardian deities. The only question is whether you know how to use it or not."

Levi still refused to believe this. "How can I be this missing person you're looking for? I'm an orphan. I grew up in the palace."

"That's because you were kidnapped as a little boy and taken away from the Earth Tribe. You must have somehow escaped and wound up being found by the Emperor and Empress. You have no recollections of this because it happened when you were little, and your powers have yet to manifest themselves. And before you ask how I know, it's because I am close to the current Elder of your tribe, who has been ruling since your disappearance. Your real mother died in childbirth and your birth father was killed protecting you when they were invaded by neighboring clans," explained Seiya.

Shirogane snorted. "Oh sure. What am I then? Chopped liver?"

Seiya elbowed him in the ribs and turned his gaze onto his friend. Though Shirogane cannot see it because of the bandages covering his friend's eyes, he could feel them burning through his soul.

"_Urusai_," Seiya commanded.

"Tch."

"You're all insane. I'm going to get some rest," Levi declared, turning away from the three.

Raising a hand in the air, palm facing outward, Seiya unleashed a ball of fire at Levi. The man whirled around just as a wall of earth seemingly emerged from the ground, forming a block in front of him, effectively neutralizing the fire, before crumbling away from view, melting seamlessly back underneath the floorboards.

Levi stared in shock.

"There you go," Seiya said, having felt the earth tremble beneath his feet.

"Seiya is right. You are the missing Chief of the Earth Tribe," confirmed Shun.

"And with you on our side, rescuing Eren before he gets executed will be a hell lot easier with the earth as our ally. However we'll have to train you first. It's evident the earth reacts instinctively to protect you from harm, but you're far from mastering your true powers," Shirogane added.

"Someone please...just kill me already," Levi mumbled.

Mikasa smiled, knowing there's now a sliver of hope for her brother.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_To those who guessed Levi is the chief, congratulations! You're all correct! XD _

_Levi now needs to train his skills if he has hopes of ever wanting to rescue Levi!_

_Also for the climax part of the story, I was thinking of having Eren ally himself with...I won't spoil it but I will give it a hint._

_It has something to do with a certain Koei franchise series. _

_Kudos to you if you know what I'm talking about! _

_To those who have no idea, it will be revealed in several chapters!_

_Thanks for all the support so far for this story!_

_You're all the reason why I keep writing! _

_I hope you'll all be with me until the very end of Tsubasa! And perhaps its sequel too if enough demand one!_

_Until chapter 25! _

_Shadow Songstress~_


	25. Eren & Haruto

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs! **

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Eren & Haruto**

The dark dungeon reeked of urine and stank of mold and mildew. The moment Eren was led in here, he knew he wasn't going to walk out alive so easily. His arms and legs were chained together after his clothes were stripped away from him. Thankfully he left the jewels back at the inn with Mikasa, so the daimyo couldn't do anything about it since they weren't on his person. Once the guards were sure he had nothing left to hide, they threw him in one of the cells and locked the door. He's been left alone since then.

Eren stared at the moldy walls before sitting down on the hard stone floor, pressing his back against a wall, laying his head in his arms. It didn't matter if he died. If he died, he died protecting the only two he really cared about. But what about his parents? The Emperor and Empress of Japan? No. They weren't his parents. His real parents were slaughtered in front of his very eyes. Even if his real parents did it to protect him, Eren knew he could never bring himself to forgive the ones who had forsaken him all these years.

The only thing on his mind right now was Levi.

"_Yuruse Levi..._this was the only way I could think of to save your life," he murmured to himself, staring at strands of hay on the floor.

He heard the clinking of keys rattling against one another and looked up to see a guard standing there with Haruto next to him. The latter entered the cell as the guard left them alone, and Eren wondered what the new prince could possibly want with him.

"You're Tsubasa aren't you?" the young boy asked.

"Indeed I am. What of it?"

To his astonishment the prince sat himself down right next to Eren. "I'm sorry things turned out this way...Eren Jaeger, the true Prince of Japan."

"So you knew?"

"I had someone follow you the whole time. I hope you'll forgive me for doing so."

The ravenette exhaled loudly and peered at the ceiling. "Doesn't matter. I'm going to die soon and you'll be the next ruler. Promise me you'll be a good one who cares about the citizens of this country," he said, directing his gaze to the younger male.

Haruto shook his head. "I don't want any of this."

"Of course you don't. I can tell from your eyes. You are just a pawn in your father's schemes for power."

"I came to warn you of something," Haruto suddenly said.

"Warn me of what? I'm not going to be alive much longer."

"I'll help you any way I can, but Japan is in danger Eren! My father has allied himself with a foreign power and plans to invade. Armies are amassing in great numbers and more just keep coming day after day. Everything will be under his command if we don't stop him!"

Eren skewered the boy with his eyes, wondering what he was planning. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because all my life I've never known what it's like to have a father's love. My mother died when I was really young, so it was my grandmother who raised me up, but she too passed away several years ago. My father never loved me or my mother. He only married her for political power because my grandfather is a highly respected member of the imperial court. Your father, the Emperor, became my surrogate father when he took me under his wing and taught me all I know today. When I heard he was searching for his missing son, I knew I had to do something."

"I don't want them to know about me. Let them continue believing I'm dead," Eren said flatly.

Haruto grabbed Eren's arm tightly. "Why? They've spent years searching for you!"

"My parents died before my very eyes. That's what I'll always remember. You who grew up within the palace walls and the home of your father, will never understand what it's like to go through hardship, pain, suffering, and struggling to survive," Eren lifted up the sleeve of his cotton robe, exposing his arm, allowing Haruto to see all faint scars marring his flesh.

"..."

He rolled the sleeve back down. "I appreciate your concern for me Haruto, but you should go back and pretend you never had this conversation with me. Besides I don't think I can ever forgive my parents for what they've done."

"They did it to protect you!"

"I know they did. That's why I can't forgive them, because I haven't forgiven myself for the troubles I've put them through."

"Can you say that still if they end up dying just like your foster parents?" challenged Haruto.

The ravenette shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows. You should help defend this country."

"Do you know who it is my father has allied himself with?"

"I'm not into politics. I'm just a simple thief."

The prince sat cross-legged so he could watch Eren's reactions. "Have you ever heard of _Chugoku_?"

"The neighboring country a sea away? Yes I've heard of it. Why?"

"Then did you hear about the three kingdoms that are currently at war with one another?"

Thankfully the ravenette remembered overhearing this as he treated a patient one day for joint pain. The man had been a retired soldier from Chugoku, and had traveled to live in Japan with his family in peace. Eren used to love hearing tales of bravery on the battlefield. It was also from this man he first heard about the three kingdoms, powerful armies led by three leaders vying for rights to rule the lands.

"You mean the Shu, Wu, and Wei Kingdoms? What about them?"

"My father has allied himself with the Wei."

If Eren was supposed to react to this information, he did a pretty good job of hiding it since he didn't react. It wasn't his problem.

"And?"

"Wei is the strongest out of the three, their leader Cao Cao is ruthless and power-hungry. By choosing to ally himself with this man, my father has literally signed a death contract with the _Shinigami _himself. I know the moment he helps my father conquer Japan, the man will turn on him and claim this place for his own. The only hope we have of defending our country is allying with Wu and Shu!"

"This doesn't concern me anymore Haruto. You're the Crown Prince, you do something about it."

"You're the real heir!"

"I'm in here as Tsubasa remember? No one knows my true identity."

Haruto narrowed his eyes. "Aren't you afraid I'll expose you?"

"So what if you did. Nothing will change will it?"

"You can save this country and your family!"

Eren stood up and glared furiously at the younger man. "Look at me Haruto! I'm not some regal prince who has to save his kingdom! I'm in here as a thief who is paying for the crimes he committed!"

"What about Levi then?"

All the anger drained out of Eren's body as he shifted away. "He'll be safe."

"If my father gets his way then even he won't survive. Didn't you offer yourself to save the one you love? What you're doing right now is no different from condemning him to death!"

"What do you want me to do about it then?"

"Be a man. Take responsibility. Become the person you were born to be! I'll help you get out of here but in return you _must _stop my father's schemes."

"You want me to form an alliance with Shu and Wu?"

"If we ever want to have any hopes of defeating my father and Wei, then yes. You must."

Silence hung in the air while Eren pondered on the terms. "Then I think I have an idea of how you can get me out of here."

"How? Tell me please and I will do it," Haruto replied.

"Find a plant for me. It's name is vampire grass and grows in a forest in the village where I hail from. If I eat it then my body will become stiff and lifeless, like a dead corpse. I will be able to feign my death and escape from here."

The prince frowned. "Won't you need an antidote?"

"The effects wear off after two hours. Which means you must stall them from burying my body, or if they do, make sure it'll be easy for me to escape. Once I do I'll find a way to contact you and we'll figure out how to meet with the Shu and Wu Kingdoms."

Haruto nodded. "Understood. I'll send my personal bodyguards to go find it. Bear with this place for a while longer."

"Go. I'll be fine," Eren said as he watched him leave.

'_This time I won't run away..._'

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_I originally planned on revealing the main antagonist a little farther down but this chapter decided to write itself lol_

_For those who are unfamiliar, the Wu, Shu, and Wei Kingdoms were three warring kingdoms who fought against one another for rights to rule the land of China. Chugoku is the Japanese term for China. The Wu, Shu, and Wei Kingdoms hail from a popular story called "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" which explains the battles fought etc. _

_Koei created a franchise called Dynasty Warriors based on this story, and I'm a huge fan of the series XD _

_Wu is ruled by Sun Jian, followed by his eldest son Sun Ce, then his younger brother Sun Quan. Sun Shang Xiang, the only daughter of Sun Jian, became the wife of Liu Bei. The strategist of Wu is Zhou Yu, who is often said to rival Zhuge Liang on the battlefield. _

_Shu is ruled by Liu Bei, who in turn, is supported by the Five Tiger Generals named Huang Zhong, Ma Chao, Zhao Yun, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. Liu Bei is a benevolent leader, and wishes to create a world where everyone can live in peace. His most trust adviser is the great Zhuge Liang. _

_Wei's leader is a man by the name of Cao Cao, known to be ruthless and power-hungry. His ambitions include uniting China under his rule, so he can be supreme leader. His adviser is Sima Yi, a cunning man who is Zhuge Liang's rival. Cao Cao was defeated at the battle of Chi Bi, thanks to the tactics of Zhou Yu, and Zhuge Liang's praying for wind. _

_Most likely this won't be a cross over since I have plans on having several characters make cameo appearances here and there, unless the story decides to write itself again but it won't be a crossover. _

_See you all in the next chapter!_

_Shadow Songstress~_


	26. Kingdoms of Wu, Shu, and Wei

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs!**

**ALERT: THIS CHAPTER IS MEANT TO INTRODUCE SOME CHARACTERS FROM WU, SHU, AND WEI SO READERS WILL NOT GET CONFUSED WHEN THEY MAKE CAMEO APPEARANCES LATER ON. IF RECEIVED POSITIVELY I WILL INTEGRATE SOME OF THEM INTO THE STORY LINE!**

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Kingdoms of Wu, Shu, and Wei**

-Kingdom of Wu-

"Yu! Hey Yu! Have you seen Da anywhere?" Sun Ce asked as he spotted his dear friend walking down the corridor.

Zhou Yu, the strategist of Wu and a man of handsome features, calmly strode over to his friend and stood before the Little Conqueror. The two had a bond of friendship that no one could tear apart. If it weren't for Zhou Yu's quick thinking and expert strategies, Sun Ce would have lost his life many battles ago on the field. The Little Conqueror he may be, but Sun Ce lacked common sense and liked to charge headfirst into battle, often resulting in having his best friend rescue him.

"She went out with Xiao a while ago to the market," replied the long-haired man smoothly.

Sun Ce sighed as he held a hand up to his forehead. "How many times have I told her not to go anywhere without me? With the war still going on, the streets aren't that safe for two ladies to be walking around alone unguarded!"

His friend chuckled. "You forget whom they are married to, haven't you Ce?"

Said man grinned. "Of course not. The Two Qiaos, renown for their beauty, chose to marry us when we rescued them from Dong Zhou's clutches."

"I wouldn't call you handsome exactly," joked Yu.

"What's that supposed to mean!"

"He means you have to work on your charms brother," chimed a feminine voice.

The two friends turned around to find Sun Shang Xiang and Sun Quan walking towards them, the former holding a basket of fruit in her hands. Sun Ce chuckled and went over to help his sister carry the heavy basket, while scowling at his younger brother. "What kind of brother are you? Letting your little sister hold something as heavy as this," he scolded.

Sun Quan looked scandalized. "I offered but she refused. You know how our little sister is."

"I guess you still need to work on refining your manners a bit Xiang," Sun Ce said.

She retaliated by elbowing her brother in the ribs, nearly causing him to drop the basket of fruit.

"Well then I'm off to bring these to father," Sun Shang Xiang made to grab the basket from her brother's hands.

"Xiang! We'll go with you."

Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, wives to Sun Ce and Zhou Yu respectively, came running into view baring gifts of their own. The two girls stopped right before they could run into their friend, and that wouldn't be a good thing since fruits would go flying everywhere.

"Da! I told you not to go running off on your own," Sun Ce scolded, frowning at his wife.

"Relax a bit Ce. We had bodyguards with us," replied Da Qiao with a frown of her own.

Xiao Qiao giggled. "Lord Zhou Yu, what brings you here?"

"I believe your sister's husband was looking for her."

"And my lord wasn't?" Xiao Qiao feigned crying, hiding her face in her hands.

Zhou Yu chuckled and embraced his wife. "Of course not. I miss you all the time Xiao."

"My lord."

Sun Shang Xiang shook her head. "I'm getting out of here. Da, Xiao, come on! You two can catch up later," she called over her shoulder.

"Coming Xiang!"

"See you later lord Zhou Yu!"

The three girls disappeared down the hallway as they chatted with one another happily.

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu watched silently as their wives faded from view. "It's rare to see smile in times like this," murmured the latter.

"When we win this war, then we can always have peace and laughter."

"I agree," added Sun Quan.

* * *

Sun Jian, ruler of Wu and the Tiger of Jiang Dong, was inside the conference room with several of his trusted advisers and members from Shu, going over last minute plans against the forces of Cao Cao and the Wei army. It has been a harrowing ordeal for all three kingdoms, and all of them suffered heavy casualties in this drawn out war. Many of his soldiers gave their lives to defend their lands from Cao Cao, and Sun Jian wanted nothing more than for this war to end.

"I have received information from one of my scouts. It appears Cao Cao has allied himself with a foreign nation," Liu Bei, leader of the Shu said, watching his ally closely.

"I have heard of this as well. It appears to be the neighboring country of Japan, a sea apart from our China."

Liu Bei frowned slightly. "Cao Cao has the strongest naval fleet out of the three of us, which means it would be easiest for him to make an alliance with a country like Japan. In comparison to him, our naval units aren't as strong as his are."

"My lord, the battle of Chi Bi is proof we can win over Cao Cao!" interrupted Gan Ning.

"That only happened because of Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang," Sun Jian replied.

"No. He is right Sun Jian. Our victory over Cao Cao at Chi Bi is proof we can win if we combine our powers," Liu Bei agreed.

"Keep in mind our forces pale in comparison to his, and now that he's allied himself with a foreign nation, what hopes do we have of winning?"

Everyone in the room became silent.

A knock on the door broke the tense atmosphere as Sun Jian looked up. "Come in," he called.

Sun Shang Xiang appeared with Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao following behind, each carrying trays of refreshments that they laid on the table.

"Why don't everyone take a break? It's hard to think on an empty stomach," she said with a smile.

"Lady Sun Shang Xiang," the officers of Wu greeted her warmly.

She gave them another smile and started handing out dishes with her two friends. Placing down a bowl of soup and rice in front of Liu Bei, the princess of Wu also smiled at him. "Lord Liu Bei, please help yourself."

"Your kindness is as the legends say Lady Sun," replied the ruler of Shu.

* * *

"Hey Yun, how is the conference going?"

Zhao Yun, one of the Five Tiger Generals, glanced up from his position on a rock to find his fellow Generals Ma Chao and Huang Zhong heading in his direction. Shifting his stance slightly while the armor on his body rattled, he gripped his spear in his right hand and stood up.

"Lord Liu Bei is still inside with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei."

"Weren't you inside with them?" Ma Chao asked.

"I came out for some air."

Huang Zhong and Ma Chao looked at each other, then broke out into laughter as they clasped each other on the shoulders. Zhao Yun arched an eybrow at this, wondering what was so funny. He wouldn't raise his spear against his fellow friends but they still sometimes test his patience.

"What is so funny?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all," Huang Zhong said, gathering himself.

"When do you suppose this conference will be over?" inquired Ma Chao.

"No one can say."

Gripping his spear to hold behind his back, Zhao Yun turned his head skyward. "Have you heard the new information? Cao Cao has allied himself with a foreign nation."

"Japan...was it?" Huang Zhong stroked his beard in thought.

"It's a country bordering ours but separated by a sea."

"Our naval fleet isn't as strong as Cao Cao's own. I hope Lord Liu Bei has a plan," Zhao Yun murmured.

Ma Chao jabbed his own spear at his friend's breastplate. "If we won at Chi Bi, then we will win this battle too."

Zhao Yun scowled and knocked the spear away with his. "I'd appreciate it if you kept that thing pointed the other way."

"Not like it will kill you," Ma Chao replied.

"If I recall correctly...it was Zhao Yun who bested you in a challenge the other day, wasn't it Ma Chao?"

"Damn it old man! Must you bring that up again?" Ma Chao looked away in embarrassment.

This time the Blue Dragon laughed alongside Huang Zhong. "Never challenge me to a battle of spears."

Ma Chao snorted. "Keep getting cocky...just you wait and see..."

* * *

Later that evening the banquet hall of the Wu palace was swarming with music and conversation as the two allied kingdoms dined with one another. Sun Jian, merry with wine and the presence of his children, showed a much softer side to his followers as he danced with his daughter. Zhou Yu was not one for gatherings like this, and thus chose to stand off to one side while watching Xiao Qiao dance with her sister. Sun Ce was obviously drunk by the way he was acting, for he was never one to turn down a drink. Sun Quan shook his head and sighed while leading his older brother away to rest.

Liu Bei sat at his table with the Five Tiger Generals flanking his side, though everyone was relaxed save for Zhao Yun. Everyone had changed out of their armor and into more casual clothing, and the ladies of the court were swooning over the handsome spear wielder from Shu, who was dressed in a blue silk robe decorated with images of dragons sewn in gold. Off to one side sat Zhuge Liang, the strategist of Shu and Liu Bei's most trusted adviser, whom was chatting quietly with his wife Yue Ying.

"Yu come and join the fun," slurred Sun Ce.

Zhou Yu chuckled. "I'm not one for merriment, but you do stink of wine."

"I better get him back before he makes a fool of himself," Sun Quan said, leading him away while the former tried to protest.

"Lord Zhou Yu."

Said man twisted his head to the right. "Lu Xun, you've returned?"

Lu Xun, Zhou Yu's apprentice strategist, bowed slightly in response. "I've returned with the information as you've asked."

"What did you learn?"

"Cao Cao has indeed allied himself with the foreign nation of Japan, which is currently in turmoil and chaos. The land is ruled by an Emperor believed to be a descendant of their great Sun Goddess Amaterasu. However the feudal lords are the ones who hold the real power, and one of them plots to overthrow the Emperor with the help of Cao Cao."

Zhou Yu frowned at this. "This isn't good..."

"It seems there is a rebellion being planned to push back this attack. I have brought one of the pageboys back with me, and he requests an audience with Lord Sun Jian."

"Bring him in. I'll speak with Lord Sun Jian about this."

Lu Xun bowed and left the room while Zhou Yu went over to the ruler of Wu, bent down and whispered something in his ear. The moment he heard what Zhou Yu had to say, Sun Jian silenced the room and faced Liu Bei. "We have a guest from the country of Japan who wants to speak with us."

"Oh? Let us hear this guest."

The hall separated into their respective kingdoms and waited for Lu Xun to return with the pageboy. Indeed several moments later the apprentice emerged with someone around the same age as himself. The two knelt in front of Sun Jian.

"Please rise," Sun Jian said.

The boy blinked in confusion and turned to Lu Xun, whom spoke in another language to him and then the boy nodded. Together the two stood up while Lu Xun stepped forward. "Pardon him my lord. He does not speak Chinese, thus I have to act as his translator since I have studied his language before."

"Very well. Please ask him why it is he is here."

Lu Xun spoke briefly and waited while the boy answered.

"He says he is here on behalf of his highness the Crown Prince of Japan, he wishes to form an alliance with us to take down Cao Cao so he can reclaim the land under his rightful rule."

"How does he plan on doing this?"

Again the two leaders waited while Lu Xun translated.

"He wishes to meet with you personally."

"Preposterous! We can't just send Lord Sun Jian into unknown territory!" roared Huang Gai from the rear.

Sun Jian waved a hand. "Peace Huang Gai. However he is right. Liu Bei and I cannot leave when we are needed for this war. Therefore I am planning on sending Zhou Yu and Sun Ce as my representatives."

Liu Bei furrowed his brows together in thought. "Then I will send Zhao Yun and Ma Chao with them."

"Lord Liu Bei!"

"You are needed here," the man said, looking at his sworn brothers.

"It is decided then. Zhou Yu, Sun Ce, Zhao Yun, and Ma Chao will go to Japan with this boy and speak with their prince. I want you to report back immediately when the meeting is over. Also Lu Xun will go and act as a translator," Sun Jian said to his strategist.

Zhou Yu nodded. "I understand my lord."

* * *

-Kingdom of Wei-

"I trust you find our part of the agreement has been kept so far," Ryouma said as he sat with the ruler of Wei.

Cao Cao listened carefully while an interpreter translated what the man had said into his native tongue of Chinese. When he finished talking, the ruler couldn't deny the facts. This man had held up his end of the bargain by gaining control over the imperial court. All that's left now was to combine their forces and invade Japan, and once that was accomplished, Cao Cao planned on taking that country for himself as well.

"My naval fleet will be ready to sail in a week's time," he said to the slave.

The slave translated his words.

"Father are you sure we can trust this man?" Cao Pi asked.

"He will be a fool to go against us in the future," his father replied.

"Have faith in father, dear," Zhen Ji said, resting a hand on her husband's forearm.

Cao Pi observed the foreigner carefully, not liking the way he acted.

"In any case I want you and Xiahou Dun to journey to Japan with this man and observe how it is like over there," Cao Cao continued.

"My lord may I be permitted to join as well?"

"Of course my dear. Keep an eye on my son for me."

Zhen Ji smiled as she pressed her flute against her lips.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review? _

_Like I said this chapter is meant to introduce some of the characters from Romance of the Three Kingdoms_

_Also this was meant to tie in these characters into the plot of the story! _

_See you all in the next chapter!_

_Ja ne!_

_Shadow Songstress~_


	27. Together Again

**So like I said before I've decided to write a new story. I was inspired partially by Iljimae (an excellent Korean historical drama I recommend) and also Iron Monkey (Another wuxia film starring Donnie Yen) and I was like "Aha! I got it!" and thus my muse hit me and I decided to start writing and see where this will take me.**

**Summary: Eren is a humble doctor by day, but at night he is the notorious masked vigilante named Tsubasa, who steals from the rich to give to the poor. After a run-in** **with the Crown Prince of Japan during a heist attempt, Eren's destiny becomes entwined with that of Levi. As he unravels the threads surrounding his past, and that of the ruling clan, what he discovers will ultimately decide the fate of Japan.**

**Pairing: Levi/Eren**

**Rating: M**

**Setting: Ancient Japan (AU)**

**Reviews are welcome!**

**Constructive criticism as well!**

**Anything else shall be ignored.**

**Note: This story will contain OCs!**

* * *

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Tsubasa**

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

**Together Again**

"I've brought what you wanted," Haruto said the next time he went to visit Eren.

The ravenette looked up from the ground at the bunch of grass blades in the younger boy's hands. Upon first look he knew right away it was vampire grass. All he needed now was a blade or two and then wait for the magic to work. Taking some into his hand Eren stuck the blades into his mouth and chewed while Haruto watched from the side.

"Once the effects kick in, make believe I hung myself and then figure out a way to smuggle me out of here."

Haruto nodded. "I've got it all sorted. Most of the guards here are under my direct command and I've paid off some of them to spread the rumor. I'll be taking care of your body so you can rest assured no one will figure out what's wrong. As for my father...he's currently away on some business. He left the night he arrested you and shouldn't be back for another three days or so."

"That gives us time to figure out what to do."

"I've received word back from the pageboy I've sent overseas. He is bringing back several representatives from the Wu and Shu kingdoms. They will arrive tomorrow morning."

Jade eyes widened slightly in surprise. "I'm amazed you've decided to act this quickly."

"The soon we stop my father's ambitions the better," Haruto replied grimly.

Eren could feel the effects of the grass begin to kick in and told Haruto just before his body ceased working.

* * *

Levi panted heavily as he dodged another incoming attack from Seiya's fire, followed right away by Shirogane's wind. Every muscle in his body ached and were terribly sore but he pushed himself to continue. There was no more time to waste. If he wanted to rescue Eren then he must go further, beyond his current capabilities.

"You're improving," noted Seiya as he sent another wave of fire at Levi.

Said man blocked it with an earth wall.

It's only been two days but his skills have vastly improved thanks to the relentless training.

"Enough. Any more and he'll collapse," Shun said from the sidelines.

"I can keep going," panted Levi.

The bluenette shook her head in protest. "Your body is fatigued Levi. You need to rest. Even the most powerful of storms will calm down and disperse," she said wisely.

Seiya lowered his hands. "Shun is right. Your body is just starting to get used to this so it's best if you don't push yourself too hard."

Despite wanting to protest and keep going onward with the training, Levi knew they were right. His body was exhausted. Any more and he will pass out for who knows how long. Any second lost is a chance lost at rescuing Eren.

"It's been two days already. Still no signs of when Eren will be executed," Shirogane said.

Shun handed everyone a cup of cool water. Levi sipped his gratefully as they sat underneath the shade of a tree.

"What is that old geezer up to..." murmured the redhead.

Mikasa came running towards them from the hill bearing a frantic expression on her face. "Guys! Something terrible happened!"

She ran right into Seiya's arms and struggled to catch her breath while the redhead steadied her. "What's going on?"

"E-Eren is d-dead!" she hiccuped.

Silence.

'_Eren is dead._'

The words kept echoing inside Levi's head.

"What do you mean he's dead?" questioned Shirogane, noticing how silent Levi became.

"I was in town...t-to buy something and overheard...a g-guard say Eren hung himself in his cell," she sobbed in between breaths.

"No."

Everyone turned towards Levi.

"I refuse to believe it. Eren didn't hang himself. He couldn't have hung himself. Not when Japan needs him," Levi said more to himself.

"Levi..."

He turned and ran.

* * *

Run.

Run as far as you can.

Don't stop.

Keep running.

Levi tore through the forest until his lungs were about to explode from exhaustion and his legs give out underneath him.

He refused to believe it.

Eren couldn't be dead.

It has to be some sort of sick joke Ryouma is playing on the world.

Yes.

That has to be it.

Stopping in front of a lake with several ducks swimming in the center, Levi gave a loud cry of anguish, scaring away the ducks as they flapped their wings and took off. The very earth shook with each cry he released, like it was lamenting alongside him. When his throat became hoarse from yelling the man sank to his knees, clutching blades of grass in his palms as tears fell down his face.

"Eren you stupid brat, don't you dare leave me like this!" he yelled.

"I wouldn't be so cruel to do what now would I?"

Levi's head snapped up at the sound and then he started laughing. "I must be going insane because now I'm imagining your voice in my head."

"Turn around Levi."

He obeyed.

Eren was standing a little towards the right of where he was currently standing, a smile on his face as Levi continued staring in disbelief.

"Do you think I'm a ghost or something?" the ravenette asked.

Without warning Levi tackled Eren into the lake, submerging them within the depths of crystal clear water. When they came up for air the ravenette pulled Levi against him, pressing their lips together in a sweet kiss.

"W-What...how?" Levi breathed.

"All part of my plan. Mikasa is probably flipping out right now thanks to Haruto."

"Haruto? What does Haruto have to do with this?"

"He's the one who helped me get out of prison," Eren kissed Levi again.

As much as the shorter man wanted to interrogate Eren as to what was going on, his mind was currently occupied by the kiss, and he lost himself in it. Wrapping his arms around the ravenette's neck as they kissed, Levi pulled Eren's head down while water dripped around them. Neither wanted to break apart for air. They were starved. Depraved of one another. Now that the ravenette finally accepted his feelings for Levi, he wanted to make up for all the suffering he had been through since becoming a shadow warrior.

"I'm sorry," Eren whispered when they pulled apart.

"For what?"

"Putting you through all this for so many years."

"_Baka_. I'm your shadow warrior."

The ravenette laced their hands together. "When this is all over I promise you'll become mine forever."

Levi blushed but his usual poker face did not betray him.

"What's going on Eren? Why did Haruto help you escape?"

"I'll explain it to you later. For now let's just forget about the world and focus on us."

The two fell back into the lake as their lips locked together once again.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_Review?_

_Short update today but I'll make tomorrow's longer!_

_I have an interview today at 4 XD let's hope I get the job!_

_Anyways the smut shall come! Fret not my dear readers! _

_See you all in the next chapter!_

_Shadow Songstress~_


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